The Pyrenees mountain range separates the peninsula from the rest of Europe.

The image of the region to the right was captured by NASA’s Terra satellite at midday on August 7, 2010.

It shows the varied terrain of the peninsula and hints at its various microclimates.

A report by the European Environmental Agency has predicted that Spain and Portugal will be the two countries most affected by climate change.

It says that “cold’ winters, which occurred only once in a decade during the 1960s will virtually disappear by 2080.

Much of southern Spain and Portugal, already arid and warm by European standards, are likely to become more so, the report said.

Recent years have see extreme summertime weather conditions range from flash floods to massive firestorms accompanied by oppressive heat.

Image: NASA