search
Spain mountains map
Map of Spain mountains. Spain mountains map (Southern Europe - Europe) to print. Spain mountains map (Southern Europe - Europe) to download. The most distinctive geographical features of Spain are its mountains. After Switzerland, Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe. Numerous mountain chains cross the landscape like protruding ribs, mostly in an east west direction. In the north, the Pyrenees form a natural border with France, with several peaks rising over 3.000 metres (9.842 feet) as its shown in Spain mountains map. To the west of the Pyrenees, and running parallel with the north coast, the Cordillera Cantábrica is home to some of Spain most endangered wildlife. Two mountain ranges, the Sierra de Guadarrama and the Sierra de Gredos, cut across the centre of the peninsula, just north of Madrid.
Towards the south, the Sierra Morena forms a natural barrier between Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia. Finally, along the south coast, the Sierra Nevada (which provides some of the best skiing in Spain) includes the highest mountain in the peninsula (Mulhacen 3.479 metres: 11.414 feet). The highest mountain in Spain is actually Teide in the Canary Islands, 3718 metres: 12.198 feet as its mentioned in Spain mountains map. The mountains are one reason why there are probably more “wild” places in Spain than in any other country of Europe. Mountains restrict surface communication and urban development, and in the case of Spain easy passage through the ranges is very limited. Isolated valleys and steep gorges make for a rugged landscape which protects flora and fauna.
There are countless smaller ranges often linked to each other in systems. For example, the Sistema Ibérico follows the River Ebro south of Zaragoza from the Cordillera Cantábrica almost to the Mediterranean. It includes the Sierras de Moncayo, de la Virgen, de Algairén, de Cucalón and others as you can see in Spain mountains map. In the south, the Sistema Penibético contains the Serranía de Ronda, the Sierra Nevada, the Sierras de Segura, de Alcaraz and several more. The northern ranges –the Cantabrian and Pyrenees— are particularly rich in large mammals, including wolves, foxes, wild boars and the Iberian brown bear as well as eagles, vultures and the rare capercaillie (a kind of large grouse). Also rare is the lammergeyer (bearded vulture) whose Spanish name, quebrantahuesos (literally “bonebreaker”), alludes to its habit of dropping bones from a height onto rocks in order to extract the marrow.