Iberian Peninsula

     From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. It is bordered on the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees form the northeast edge of the peninsula, connecting it to the rest of Europe. At Gibraltar in the south, it approaches Africa.

In medieval times the peninsula housed many small states. However these amalgamated over time, until the end of the Napoleonic Wars (including the Peninsular War) in 1815. At that point the modern position was reached and the peninsula now consists of the countries of Spain and Portugal (excluding their islands and Ceuta and Melilla), Andorra, and the territory of Gibraltar. The following official languages are spoken in the Iberian peninsula:

• Andorra:
  • Catalan
• Gibraltar:
  • English
• Portugal:
  • Portuguese
  • Mirandese (official recognition)
• Spain:
  • Basque
  • Castilian (also called Spanish)
  • Catalan (called Valencian in Valencian Country)
  • Galician
  • Asturian (official recognition)
  • Aranese (official recognition)

See also Iberian Romance languages.