Valencia, Spain June 1996 Situated on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula, Valencia (near center of image) is the capital of the Valencia Autonomous Region, as well as a major port in Spain. With an estimated 800000 people, this historic and picturesque city is the third largest city in Spain. A modern marine facility that includes a variety of docks and piers that handle even containerized cargo is visible as light colored structures that juts into the blue waters of the Gulf of Valencia along the eastern edge of the city. The extensive dark area south of the city is a marshy depression that parallels the coast. A lake (very dark area) is barely identifiable near the northern end of the depression. The light colored, linear features are either railroad right of ways or highways. Climatically, this region falls within the Mediterranean climate which features hot summers and cold, damp winters.