First of all, one needs to refer to Spain's geographical location as an important cause of its international presence. Historically, Spain has been located in a strategically important position in Europe, because of (1) its presence on the Atlantic and, thus, immediate access to maritime transportation and (2) its location at the entrance or exit into or from the Mediterranean, important commercial route. Both of these prerogatives are still held today, despite the fact that the 21st century has somewhat minimized its importance. At the same time, its almost border with Africa means that Spain is the first country that can be affected by migrations and trafficking from Africa, which means that EU partners have a significant interest in helping Spain secure its borders. The existence of the Pyrenees at the border with France and the rest of Europe makes the country easier to defend and protect from terrestrial invasions.

Following this, the climate of the country determines some of Spain's international presence, especially in terms of its economic and commercial policies. The temperate continental climate and the Mediterranean climate allows for a variety of crops to be grown, which means that its exports are varied and diverse, ranging from wheat to oranges. In the international arena, this means that the country is not that dependant on food imports and that it can increase the country's revenues through the agrarian exports to third countries.

Even more so, some of the climate geography elements are closely related with the country's resources. As such, the country boasts both around 30% arable land and about 30% forestry lands, which also provides the basis for a well-balances economy, which increases the chances for the country to be an important...

Spain is one of the most populated countries in Europe, which tends to have an important role in the country's voice being heard in some of the important European institutions such as the EU. As such, the representation in the EU parliament, for example, is based on the total population of the country. A higher population, such as that of Spain, increases the number of Spanish presences in the EU parliament.
As one can see from this analysis, the study of the geography of Spain is closely correlated with the analysis of the Spanish position in the world and its international relations. To summarize, its geographical location (in Europe) means that it will be part of European institutions such as the EU and the Council of Europe. At the same time, its presence at the southern border of the EU will increase its cooperation with countries to fight against different forms of trafficking and asymmetrical threats. Further more, its diversified economic geography allow for it to have a strong commercial and economic profile in the world.

Bibliography

1. Hughes, William. (1863). The Study of Geography. Lecture delivered at King's College, London by Sir Marc Alexander. Quoted in Baker, J.N.L (1963). The History of Geography. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. pp. p. 66

2. "What is geography?." AAG Career Guide: Jobs in Geography and related Geographical Sciences. Association of American Geographers. On the Internet at http://www.aag.org/Careers/What_is_geog.html. Last retrieved on March 27, 2009.

3. Fisher, Bayne William, Howard Bowen-Jones. Spain: An Introductory Geography. Praeger 1966.