What sea lies immediately north of Spain's Cantabrian Mountains?

The Cantabrian Sea lies immediately north of Spain's Cantabrian Mountains. It is a coastal sea of the Atlantic Ocean and is generally considered part of the Bay of Biscay.

The Cantabrian Mountains run for more than 300 kilometers across northern Spain, broadly parallel to the coast. They pass through or border Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, and parts of Castile and León. Their northern slopes receive heavy rainfall from the nearby sea, helping create the lush landscape known as “Green Spain.”

The sea's name comes from the ancient Cantabri, a people who lived in northern Iberia. In Spanish usage, the Cantabrian Sea extends along Spain's northern coast and toward the southwest coast of France, from roughly Cape Ortegal to the Adour River near Bayonne.

The mountains sharply separate the wetter northern coast from the drier plateau of Castile and León. Their highest summit is Torre de Cerredo, which rises to about 2,648 meters in the Picos de Europa area.