Earth from Space - Image Description

STS090-714-074 Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain April 1998
Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Arcihpelago (1405 square miles-3640 sq. km), which is located in the Mediterranean Sea east of Spain, is a natural bridge between the smaller islands of Menorca (northeast) and Ibiza (southwest). This chain of islands, popular tourist destinations, represent a continuation of the Sierra Nevada mountains of southern Spain which are part of the much larger Alpine system found throughout southern Europe. The Sierra De Tramontana, the most easily recognized mountain range on Mallorca, parallels the entire northwest coast of the island (center of image) and along the east, southwest coast. The rural landscape includes olive and almond trees, as well as strands of pine, fruit, and evergreen oak trees. Approximately half of the islands 650000 people live in he capital city of Polma. Polma is visible in this picture along the northern edge of the Bay of Polma (bottom-center). The two parallel runways (light colored, linear feature) of the busy Polma airport are visible immediately south of the city.

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