Highlands, mountains and plateaux predominate over lowlands. Apart from Switzerland, Spain is the highest country in Europe, with a mean altitude of 600 m. The highest summists are: Pico de Teide (Tenerife), 3,719 m; Mulhacen (Sierra Nevada), 3,478 m.; Alcazaba (Sierra Nevada) 3,392 m.; Les Poset or Lardana (Pyrenees) 3,375 m.; Monte Perdido (Pyrenees) 3,355 m.; Cilindro (Pyrenees), 3,328 m.; Perdiguero (Pyrenees) 3,321 m.; Maladeta (Pyrenees), 3,309 m.; and Pico de Camachinos or Vignemale (Pyrenees) 3,303 m.

With the exception of the Galician coast, the Spanish coastline is not particularly indented. A straight coastline, without inlets, is the predominant type, owing to the fact that the mountain ranges lie parallel to the coast.

These coasts reflect the physical and geographical contrasts which characterize the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, the coasts of eastern and southern Spain washed by the Mediterranean are flat and sandy, those of the north west have beautiful fjord-like inlets, while those of the Cantabrian are rocky and aboind in cliffs.

Spain has over two thousand beaches altogether, many of them of great beauty and enjoying a pleasant climate. From the tourist point of view, they are grouped together under internationally famous names such as the Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, Costa de Azahar, Costa Blanca, Mar Menor, Costa del Sol, Costa de la Luz, Rias Bajas and Rias Altas, Costa Cantabrica, Costa Canaria and Costa Balear.

Coastal Limits:

        Cantabrian coast...........................  867 km.
        Atlantic coast.............................1,367 km.
        Mediterranean coast........................1,670 km.
           Partial total.................................3,904 km.

Land Frontiers:

        Frontier with France and Andorra...........  712 km.
        Frontier with Portugal.....................1,232 km.
        Frontier with Gibraltar....................    1 km.
           Partial total.................................1,945 km.

     Total Perimeter.....................................5.849 km.