Iberian Peninsula, Peninsula in southwestern Europe
The Iberian Peninsula is a landmass in southwestern Europe, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pyrenees range in the northeast. It covers roughly 580000 square kilometers and includes several climate zones, from coastal plains to high mountain areas.
The Romans began conquering the region in the third century before Christ and introduced Latin, which later became the foundation for several regional languages. Later, Moorish rule and Christian kingdoms shaped the political and cultural development over many centuries.
Residents speak Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Galician, or Basque depending on the region, with many people using more than one language in daily life. Eating habits differ between the coasts and the interior, where seafood dominates by the sea and pork and stews are common inland.
Travelers reach the different regions through the Pyrenees in the north or by ferry along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The landscape ranges from dry plains in the center to humid coastal strips, which means varied visiting conditions.
Cabo da Roca on the Portuguese coast marks the westernmost point of mainland Europe and juts into the Atlantic. Here Europe ends by the sea, where cliffs drop straight down and the water stretches far into the ocean.
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