ABSTRACT
The Iberian Peninsula has one of the richest and most diverse endowments of natural shallow-water environments in the EC. Although the natural surface area of wetlands in Spain is not as large as in other countries, some of the specific types found in Spain are unique to western Europe. This is particularly so for the steppe wetlands, which constitute one of the characteristic features of the Iberian landscape. Moreover, the geographical location of the Iberian peninsula allows it to serve as a bridge between Europe and north Africa. This makes Spanish wetlands key areas along the migration routes of several million waterfowl of the Western Paleartic. Many rare or endangered plant and animal species also make their habitat in Spanish wetlands.
