One of the largest countries in Western Europe, Spain was a major world power in the 16th and 17th centuries. It possessed a huge overseas empire in the Americas and also controlled much of Europe. Spain was devastated by internal warfare in the 1930s. After a long period of dictatorship, the country emerged in the late 20th century with a stable democracy. The capital is Madrid. GeographySpain is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. The country occupies most of a block of land called the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is bordered on the west by Portugal, which takes up the rest of the peninsula. France and Andorra lie to the northeast of Spain. To the far south is Gibraltar, which belonged to Spain until 1713. Gibraltar is now a British colony. Water surrounds Spain on all other sides. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the east and southeast. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north, northwest, and southwest. Two groups of islands are also part of Spain. The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwestern African mainland. Off Spain's eastern coast in the Mediterranean are the Balearic Islands. In addition, Spain has controlled the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco for centuries. Spain has a total land area of 195,364 square miles (505,990 square kilometers). - Cows graze high in the central Pyrenees in the Huesca province of northeastern Spain.
Most of Spain consists of a large, high plain in the center of the country called the Meseta Central. The Meseta is almost completely surrounded by mountain ranges. These include the Cantabrian Mountains to the north, the Iberian Cordillera to the northeast, and the Sierra Morena to the south. The rugged Pyrenees run along the border between Spain and France. The highest point on the mainland is Mulhacén Peak, which is part of the Baetic Cordillera in the south. It rises some 11,421 feet (3,481 meters). Spain has many rivers, including the Duero, Tagus, Ebro, and Guadalquivir. The climate in Spain varies by region. In general, the country has hot summers and cool winters. The temperature is usually much milder along the coasts. Plants and animalsMeadows and forests of oak and beech cover most of the humid regions of northern Spain. The rest of the country is fairly dry. Evergreen oak, grasses, and other plants that can survive without much water are dominant in the central and southern areas. Spain's wildlife includes deer, wild boars, and ibex (a type of wild goat). There are some bears and wolves in the northeast. The Pyrenees are home to many birds of prey, including eagles, owls, and buzzards. People and cultureMost of the people of Spain are ethnically Spanish. Roma (or Gypsies) are the largest minority. More than 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. The official language of the nation is Castilian, which is commonly called Spanish. It is spoken throughout the country. Spain also has three official regional languages: Catalan, Gallego, and Euskara. Catalan is spoken in the east, in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia, as well as on the Balearic Islands. Gallego is spoken in the region of Galicia, in the northwest corner of Spain. Euskara is quite different from the other languages spoken in Europe. It is the language of the Basques, a people who live in northern Spain and southwestern France. More than three quarters of the population lives in cities. The nation's largest city is Madrid, in the center of Spain. The second largest city is Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia. Located on the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is Spain's main port and commercial center. Seville is the largest city in Andalusia, which is the southernmost region in Spain. Andalusian culture is known for its Moorish architecture, bullfighting, and flamenco music and dance. Spain's artistic heritage is long and distinguished. Many of the country's authors have won international recognition, including novelist Miguel de Cervantes and playwrights Lope de Vega and Federico García Lorca. Pablo Picasso is probably the most famous Spanish artist. Other major Spanish painters include Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Diego Velázquez, and Francisco de Goya. EconomySpain's economy is based largely on services, manufacturing, and mining. Tourism became an important source of income in the 20th century. The country's main manufacturing industries produce clothing and shoes, food products, chemicals, metals, machinery, and automobiles. Spain's mining industries are among the most active in Europe. The country is a leading producer of coal, zinc, iron ore, lead, and other minerals. - Isolated farmstead in the region of La Mancha in the southern Meseta Central, south-central Spain.
Farming accounts for less than 5 percent of Spain's income. The chief crops include grains, sugar beets, olives, citrus fruits, and vegetables. Spain is also one of the world's major producers of wine. Pastures cover about one fifth of the land and are used to raise sheep, pigs, cattle, and goats. Among the fish caught are sardines, cod, and tuna. HistoryEarly historyFossils found in Spain show that humans were living in the area hundreds of thousands of years ago. Remarkable cave paintings in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain date back to about 25,000 BC. Spain has been inhabited and invaded by many different peoples. The early settlers of the region were groups from North Africa and western Europe, including the Iberians, Celts, and Basques. After about 1100 BC, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and then the Carthaginians in turn established trading posts and colonies. In 218 BC the Romans began to conquer the region. Roman rule lasted until the 5th century AD, when Germanic tribes invaded the area. The ruling Germanic tribe converted to Christianity by the early 7th century AD. Muslim ruleConflict between various tribes weakened Spain. When Muslim Arabs invaded in 711, they met with virtually no resistance. They quickly captured most of the Iberian Peninsula. The Muslims held onto power for seven centuries. Spain is the only country in western Europe to have had Islamic states rule much of its territory for many centuries. ReconquestMeanwhile, Christian kingdoms in the north gradually began to unite and to take back territory piece by piece. By the late 13th century, the Christian kingdoms of Castile and Aragon had conquered most of the area controlled by the Muslims. The two Spanish kingdoms joined together as a result of the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile in 1469. They captured the last Muslim kingdom, Granada, in 1492. Spain was then a united Christian kingdom. Ferdinand and Isabella banned all religions other than Roman Catholicism. At the time, Spain had large populations of Muslims and Jews, as well as Christian Protestants. A court called the Inquisition tried and punished people who did not conform to the state religion. The Spanish Inquisition tortured and killed thousands of people. In 1492 the Spanish Jews who would not convert to Catholicism were forced to leave Spain. World empireThe year 1492 was also when Spanish ships under the command of Christopher Columbus reached the Americas. In the following years, Spanish explorers and conquerors traveled throughout the world, claiming vast territories for the Spanish kings and queens. Spain ruled its overseas empire from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 19th century. This period of Spanish rule had a long-lasting impact on the Americas. Spanish remains the principal language spoken throughout most of Central and South America, and many of the people are Roman Catholic. The Spanish empire also stretched through Europe beginning in the early 16th century. The grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella was part of a powerful European family called the Hapsburgs. He became the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as well as the king of Spain. Under the Hapsburgs, Spain ruled most of Europe except France, England, and Russia. Loss of powerSpain's power declined quickly in the 17th century, when the country fought many costly wars. In 1700 the last of the Spanish Hapsburgs died. Many European countries fought to take over the monarchy in the War of the Spanish Succession. At the end of the war, Spain lost its European territory, and a French prince from the Bourbon family became king of Spain. In addition, most of Spain's overseas colonies rebelled and won independence in the 19th century. Spain lost other territory to the United States after the Spanish-American War of 1898. Civil war and dictatorshipSpain became a democratic republic in 1931. However, a bloody civil war broke out in 1936 between two Spanish groups. Rebel forces called the Nationalists fought the Republicans, who wanted to keep the republic form of government. The fighting was very fierce and destructive, and many other countries became involved. The civil war ended in victory by the Nationalist commander Francisco Franco in 1939. Franco ruled Spain as a dictator for the next 36 years. DemocracyFollowing Franco's death in 1975, Juan Carlos became king of Spain. He established a democratic form of government. Under Franco, the central government had been very strong. Under Juan Carlos, the different regions in Spain were given the power to control most of their own affairs. However, a group of Basques called the ETA has demanded that the Basques be allowed to form a separate country. ETA has been responsible for many terrorist attacks in Spain. Since the late 1970s, Spain has developed a closer relationship with other western European countries. Spain joined a military alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1982. The country became a member of an organization called the European Community (now the European Union) in 1986. Spain also retains close links with many of the Hispanic countries of South and Central America. Population (2001 estimate), 40,144,000. |