Living in Spain

Spain lies in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula and borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Around 46.7 million people live there. The country stretches from green coasts and fertile plains to dry plateaus and high mountains. The climate in the north is often wetter and milder, while the interior has hot summers, cold winters, and little precipitation; winters on the Mediterranean coasts are usually mild. Many people live in apartments, especially in cities, while smaller towns and single-family homes are common in rural areas. Depending on the region, people use cars, buses, or trains to get to work and education. Markets, cafés, shared meals, and late evenings shape leisure time in many places, while Madrid, Barcelona, and rural regions have distinctly different rhythms of life.