Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. Madrid has a population of 3,477,497 in the city proper, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 km2 (233.89 sq mi). Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at about 650 m (2,130 ft) above mean sea level. The capital city of both Spain and the surrounding autonomous community of Madrid, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country.