Spain
Spain is a country in southwestern Europe. Mainland Spain is part of the Iberian Peninsula. It also includes the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, both located on the North African coast, along with several minor overseas territories. Mainland Spain is bordered to the south by Gibraltar, to the north by France and Andorra, and to the west by Portugal. Spain's capital city is Madrid.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Iberian penninsula was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate, beginning 700 years of Muslim rule. It was retaken by Christians during the Reconquista over sevel centuries, ending with the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada in 1492. The Catholic monarchs of unified Spain persecuted and drove out many of the native Jewish and Muslim population, and began the colonisation of the Americas.
It has one of the longest life expectancies in the world. It is a member of the UN, the EU, NATO, and the WTO. Spain has the world's fourth-largest number of World Heritage Sites and is the world's second-most visited country. Spanish the world's second-most spoken native language.
Plus ultra
Founding Date
1479
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Alternative Names
Spanish: España
Demonym
Spanish
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Unitary state
Controlled Territories