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Spain: A Brief Overview

Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe, with parts of its territory in the Atlantic Ocean and across the Mediterranean Sea.
The largest part of Spain is situated on the Iberian Peninsula, and its territory also includes the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in Africa.
Spain's mainland is bordered by Gibraltar to the south, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east, France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay to the north, and Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union and the fourth-most populous EU member state.
Spain's capital and largest city is Madrid, and other major urban areas include Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Málaga, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Bilbao.
Anatomically modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 42,000 years ago.
The Roman conquest and colonization of the peninsula ensued, bringing the Romanization of the population.
The Christian kingdoms emerged in Northern Iberia, chief among them León, Castile, Aragon, Portugal, and Navarre made an intermittent southward military expansion, known as Reconquista, repelling the Islamic rule in Iberia, which culminated with the Christian seizure of the Emirate of Granada in 1492.
The dynastic union of the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon in 1479, often considered the formation of Spain as a country, was followed by the annexation of Navarre and the incorporation of Portugal during the Iberian Union.
Spain began the colonization of the New World in 1492, developing one of the largest empires in history and underpinned the emergence of a global trading system primarily fueled by precious metals.
Spain is a secular parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with King Felipe VI as head of state.
Spain has a mixed capitalist advanced economy, with the world's sixteenth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the sixteenth-largest by PPP.
Spanish art, music, literature, and cuisine have been influential worldwide, particularly in Western Europe and the Americas.Overview of Spanish history from Al-Andalus to the 18th century
Al-Andalus was a Muslim-ruled territory in the Iberian Peninsula from the 8th to 15th century.
The Muslim society was diverse, with social tensions between the North-African Berber peoples and Arab leadership.
Córdoba was the largest and most sophisticated city in western Europe, with Mediterranean trade and cultural exchange flourishing.
In the 11th century, the Caliphate of Córdoba collapsed, fracturing into petty kingdoms, subject to the payment of protection money to the Northern Christian kingdoms.
The Kingdom of León was the strongest Christian kingdom for centuries, and the Kingdom of Castile succeeded it.
The Toledo School of Translators translated philosophical and scientific works from Classical Arabic, Ancient Greek, and Ancient Hebrew.
The Spanish Empire was founded in 1469 with the unification of Castile and Aragon, and it expanded across the Americas, Indo-Pacific, Africa, and Europe.
The Spanish Golden Age produced renowned works of literature and art, but the 17th century was marked by decline, increased taxation, and weakened economy.
The 17th century also saw a rise in the Inquisition, which sought to enforce religious conformity in the Spanish Empire.
The War of the Spanish Succession consumed the first years of the 18th century and was a controversy over succession to the throne.
Spain maintained and enlarged its vast overseas empire, which remained intact until the beginning of the 19th century.A Brief History of Spain
Spain experienced a long period of international conflict combined with a civil war, resulting in the loss of its European possessions and its position as one of the leading powers on the Continent.
The Bourbon Reforms were implemented to centralize authority and administrative uniformity, including abolishing old regional privileges and laws.
The 18th century saw a gradual recovery and an increase in prosperity through interventionist economic policies and infrastructure development.
The Napoleonic Wars saw Spain occupied by France, leading to uprisings and a devastating war of independence.
Attempts to re-assert control over American colonies proved futile, leading to the Spanish American wars of independence that put an end to Spain's grip over the Spanish Main.
The 19th century saw nationalism movements arise in the Philippines and Cuba, and the country played a minor part in the scramble for Africa.
The 20th century brought little social peace, with Spain's involvement in World War I and colonization of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco, and Spanish Guinea.
Industrialization, labor movements, and socialist and anarchist ideas developed in several areas of the country, particularly in Barcelona.
The Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, leading to a dictatorship under Franco and thousands of prisoners being held in concentration camps.
With Franco's death in 1975, democracy was restored with the approval of the new Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the devolution of much authority to the regions.
In the 1980s, new cultural movements based on freedom appeared, and Spain joined NATO and the European Economic Community.
The early 2000s saw Spain adopt the euro and experience strong economic growth, but also face concerns of a property bubble and high foreign trade deficit, as well as the Prestige oil spill and the 2004 Madrid bombings.Overview of Spain: History, Geography, Climate, Fauna and Flora, Politics, Government, Foreign Relations, and Military
Spain implemented austerity measures for EU bailout under the EU Stability and Growth Pact during the tenure of the Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
In 2014, the monarch, Juan Carlos, abdicated in favour of his son, Felipe VI.
In 2017, a Catalan independence referendum was held, and the Catalan parliament voted to unilaterally declare independence from Spain, which was not recognised by any country. The Spanish Senate granted the power to impose direct rule and dissolved the Catalan parliament and called for a new election.
In 2018, Pedro Sánchez replaced Mariano Rajoy as the Prime Minister of Spain.
Spain has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 80,000 deaths as of June 2021, leading to a drop in life expectancy by over a year.
In 2021, Spain became the sixth nation in the world to legalise active euthanasia.
Spain is the world's fifty-second largest country and Europe's fourth largest country, covering an area of 505,992 km².
Spain has a transcontinental geography, with territories in both Europe and Africa.
Spain shares borders with Portugal, Gibraltar (a British overseas territory), Morocco, France, and Andorra.
Spain includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, and several uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Spain has a diverse climate with three main climatic zones, including a Mediterranean climate, a semi-arid climate, and an oceanic climate.
Spain has a wide variety of flora and fauna, with 7,600 vascular plants and 17.804 billion trees. The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.23/10, ranking it 130th globally out of 172 countries.
Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament, the Cortes Generales.
Spain is one of the most decentralised countries in Europe, with 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities.
Spain is a member of NATO and the EU and maintains special relations with Hispanic America and the Philippines.
Spain claims Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, and sovereignty over the Perejil Island, a small, uninhabited rocky islet located in the South shore of the Strait of Gibraltar. Morocco claims the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the plazas de soberanía islets off the northern coast of Africa, while Portugal does not recognise Spain's sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza.
The armed forces of Spain are known as the Spanish Armed Forces, with the King of Spain as their commander-in-chief.