Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.2 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.5 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its monocentric metropolitan area is the third largest in the EU, after Paris and London. The municipality covers 604.3 km2 (233.3 sq mi).
Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the centre of both the country and the Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this community is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political centre of Spain. The current mayor is Manuela Carmena from Ahora Madrid.
Madrid is considered one of the liveliest cities in Europe and boasts a rich nightlife. It is famous for its many cultural attractions, including the Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Reina Sofía Museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Madrid also hosts two of the world’s most prestigious football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid. Due to its economic output, high standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial centre of Southern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of major Spanish companies, such as Telefónica, Iberia and Inditex. Madrid is also the 10th most liveable city in the world according to Monocle magazine.
In 2012, Madrid was chosen as the best European city to live in by Newsweek magazine. Madrid also ranked amongst the top 10 cities on the 2016 Mercer list of most livable cities in the world and was ranked the 3rd most liveable city in Europe that same year. According to the Köppen climate classification, Madrid has a Mediterranean climate with mild to cool winters and hot, dry summers.
