Barcelona is a major city located on the northeastern coast of Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. It serves as the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia. Geographically, it is situated between the mouths of the Llobregat and Besòs rivers and is bordered to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range.
The city is the second-most populous municipality in Spain, following Madrid, with a population of 1.7 million within its city limits. Its broader urban area encompasses numerous neighboring municipalities within the province of Barcelona, housing approximately 5.7 million people. This makes it the fifth most populous urban area in the European Union.