Andalusia is a region in the south of Spain. It is a region of contrasts: ancient cities and deserts, amazing beaches along the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz and the Sierra Nevada mountain range where the highest mountain in Spain is found and also the most southerly ski resort in Europe. It spans almost the entire south of Spain and is bordered to the west by Portugal. To the south in the Province of Cadiz at the very tip of Spain lies the British overseas territory of Gibraltar where it is separate from North Africa by just a few miles.
The region has, however, a rich culture and a strong cultural identity. Many cultural phenomena that are seen internationally as distinctively Spanish are largely or entirely Andalusian in origin. These include flamenco and, to a lesser extent, bullfighting, Hispano-Moorish architectural styles.