The principal mountain ranges are the Pyrenees and the central Sierras northwest of Madrid.
Winter can bring very cold weather to the central plateau.
In 1975 King Juan Carlos I succeeded to the monarchy upon the death of the fascist dictator General Franco, and was instrumental in restoring democracy and the defeat of an attempted coup in 1981. In 1982 Spain was admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and in 1986 became a full member of the European Union. Catalan and Basque parties would agree to form a coalition, they undertook to support him in order to ensure economic progress. Then in the March 1996 general election the Popular Party under Aznar narrowly defeated the Socialists. Although the threat from the Basque separatist group ETA continues with periodic terrorist attacks, there is speculation that they may abandon violence.