Madrid

Spaniards refer to Madrid as their capital and most populated city. The city has a population of about 3.4 million people, with a greater metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), second only to Berlin in terms of administrative boundaries, and its monocentric metropolitan region is the second-largest in the EU, second only to Paris in terms of population. It is also the most populous city in the EU. The geographical area covered by the municipality is 604.3 km2 (233.3 sq mi).

Madrid is located in the middle portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the banks of the River Manzanares. Madrid is the capital city of both Spain (from 1561, practically without interruption) and the neighbouring autonomous community of Madrid (since 1983), as well as the country's political, economic, and cultural centre. The mayor is José Luis Martnez-Almeida, who represents the People's Party in the city.