page_title: Southern Europe
section_title: Climate
hierarchical_section_title: Southern Europe / Climate
caption_attribution_description: Climate map of Europe (from the "Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification").
context_page_description: Southern Europe is the southern region of the European continent. Most definitions of Southern Europe, also known as Mediterranean Europe, include Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar, Andorra, Southern France and Corsica, Monaco, Italy, the Vatican City, San Marino, Malta, Albania, Greece, and East Thrace. In addition, the Balkan states of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, are also often included in the definition due to their proximity to the Mediterranean, though some of these countries may alternatively be deemed Southeastern Europe or even Eastern Europe.
  Different methods can be used to define Southern Europe, including its political, economic, and cultural attributes. Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features — its geography, climate, and flora. Politically, seven of the Southern European states form the EU Med group.
context_section_description: Southern Europe's most emblematic climate is that of the Mediterranean climate, which has become a typically known characteristic of the area, which is due to the large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure found, not in the Mediterranean itself, but in the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores High. The Mediterranean climate covers Portugal, Spain, Italy, coastal Croatia, coastal Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, as well as the Mediterranean islands. Those areas of Mediterranean climate present similar vegetations and landscapes throughout, including dry hills, small plains, pine forests and olive trees.
  Cooler climates can be found in certain parts of Southern European countries, for example within the mountain ranges of Spain and Italy. Additionally, the north coast of Spain experiences a wetter Atlantic climate.
caption: European climate.
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