Madrid is the capital and largest city in Spain. It has a population of approximately 3.3 million people, with a metropolitan area with around 6.5 million inhabitants. It is the second largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third largest city in the EU, after London and Paris. The urban area of ​​the Spanish capital covers a total of 604.3 square kilometers.

The city is located on the Manzanares River, in the center of the country and the Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its urban area and its suburbs); this community borders the autonomous communities of Castile and Leon and Castile-La Mancha. As the national capital, seat of government and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also Spain's political, economic and cultural center. The current mayor is José Luis Martínez-Almeida, from the Partido Popular (PP). The city is home to the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) - belonging to the United Nations (UN), the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) and the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB). Madrid also houses important international institutions regulating the Spanish language, such as the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and the Instituto Cervantes.

The Spanish metropolis has the third largest gross domestic product (GDP) [8] among cities in the European Union and its influence on politics, education, entertainment, environment, media, fashion, science, culture and the arts contributes to its status as one of the main urban centers in the world. Due to its economic production, the high standard of living and the size of its consumer market, Madrid is considered the largest financial center in Southern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula, in addition to hosting the vast majority of major Spanish companies, such as Telefónica, Repsol and Iberia. Madrid is the tenth most livable city in the world according to the 2010 classification of Monocle magazine, in addition to being considered one of the 12 greenest cities in Europe in the same year.

Despite having a modern infrastructure, the city has preserved many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Among its landmarks are the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real; the Retiro Park, founded in 1631; the building of the National Library of Spain, founded in 1712; several national museums and the so-called "Golden Triangle of Art", located along the Paseo del Prado and composed of three important art museums: the Prado Museum, the Queen Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Plaza de Cibeles has also become one of the main symbols of the city.