The complex formation between the Fe 3+ ion and 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid, H 2 L) has been studied at 298.15 K in 1.05 mol 3 kg À1 NaClO 4 medium by both potentiometric titrations with glass electrodes and spectrophotometric measurements in the range of wavelengths between (410 and 600) nm. The concentrations of ligand (C L ) and metal ion (C M ) were varied between (0.105 Â 10 À3 and 21 Â 10 À3 ) mol 3 kg À1 , and the ligand-to-metal ratio was varied between (1 and 1000) (1 e C L / C M e 1000). The hydrogen ion concentration was decreased stepwise to the incipient precipitation of a basic salt of metal. The experimental data have been explained with the formation of the complexes FeL + , FeL 2 À , FeL 3 3À , Fe(HL)L, and Fe 2 (OH) 2 (HL)L + . Stability constants for their formation in 1.05 mol 3 kg À1 NaClO 4 as well as in dilute solution are reported.