The Pyrenees (Spanish: Pirineos; French: Pyrénées; Catalan: Pirineus; Occitan: Pirenèus; Aragonese: Perinés; Basque: Pirinioak) are a range of mountains in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. They separate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe, and extend for about 430 km (267 mi) from the Bay of Biscay (Cap Higuer) to the Mediterranean Sea (Cap de Creus).
For the most part, the main crest forms a massive divider between France and Spain, with the tiny country of Andorra sandwiched in between. Catalonia and the Basque Country are the human cultural regions that extend on both sides of the mountain range, with a northern and a southern part on each side.
According to the Greek mythology the Pyrenees are named after Pyrene (fire in Greek) the daughter of Bebryx who was supposedly raped by Herakles. Terrified by having given birth to a serpent, she fled to the mountains and was either buried or eaten by wild animals. Herodotus placed the setting of this mythological legend on his map of the Oikumene as early as 450 BC.
Source: CIA Factbook, Wikipedia
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