Iberian Peninsula, also called Iberia, peninsula in southwestern Europe occupied by Spain and Portugal. It extends westward into the Atlantic Ocean from the southern end of the European continent and is bounded on the north by France, on the northeast and east by Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains, which separate it from continental Europe; and on the south and southwest by Portugal’s Algarve region. With an area of about 590,000 square miles (1,530,000 square km), the Iberian Peninsula is approximately one-fifth as large as mainland Europe. Its coastline measures about 1,790 miles (2,860 km).
The name “Iberia” originally was applied to what is now Spain but later came to be used for the entire peninsula. The Romans under Julius Caesar conquered most of it in 19–18 BCE but were unable to subdue present-day Portugal until well into the 2nd century CE. Following Rome’s decline and fall in 476 CE—and after a period of Germanic invasions that lasted until 711 CE—the Visigothic kingdom was established throughout most of Iberia except along its northern coast (which remained under Frankish control) and in parts of present-day Portugal; eventually even these areas fell to Muslim invaders from North Africa between 711 and 788 CE. By 1250 all of Christian Iberia except for small enclaves in Granada Province had been reconquered by Spanish Christians under King Ferdinand III; Granada finally fell in 1492 during the reign of Ferdinand’s grandson Ferdinand II and Isabella I—the joint sovereigns who launched Christopher Columbus’ fateful expedition that same year across the Atlantic Ocean to America. Although a dynastic union subsequently existed between Spain and Portugal from 1580 to 1640—and again after 1815 when both countries were governed by members of Bourbon Dynasty—Portugal achieved virtual political independence with a constitution promulgated in 1822; full independence came after a liberal revolution overthrew Queen Maria II’s government in 1910. Since then relations between Spain & Portugal have generally been good despite their different forms of government: monarchy versus republic respectively prior to 1974 when both countries became democracies following military dictatorships that began with Francisco Franco’s Nationalist victory over Republican forces during Spain’s 1936–39 Civil War & ended with Antonio de Oliveira Salazar & Marcelo Caetano respectively ruling Portugal as part fascist/part authoritarian regimes known as “Estado Novo” or New State.
The physical features of present-day peninsularSpain may be grouped into three main divisions: (1)the Meseta Central, or Plateau Central,—a vast plateau averaging some 2,600 feet (800 metres) above sea level that occupies more than two-fifthsof peninsular Spaniardsurface area&is studded with numerous mountain ranges whose highest peaks exceed 10,000 feet(3100 metres);(2)the coastal strips lying along either sideofthe Meseta —lowland plains that are narroweron theeast coastthanonthewest&encompass extensive tracts offertile farmland wheremostofpeninsularSpain’sagricultural production takes place;&(3)the mountainous regions occupying muchoftheremainderofthe country —areas that generally lie at elevations below 3 , 000 feet (900 metres), though many peaks exceed 6 , 000 feet . Of these three divisions , only those areas located within easy reachofthe Mediterranean Sea canbe considered partoffacialEurope because they have abetter climate than therestofthecontinent . This fact has played an important roleinhistoryby making possible year – round transportation & communications linkages betweenthepeninsula&other parts ofthesouthern Mediterranean basin while isolating thoseareasinlandthatcould not be easily reachedfromthecoastal ports .