Spain
is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea
except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north by France,
Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the
Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the
Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the
Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North
Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. With an area of 504,030
km², Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe and the
European Union after France.
Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many
external influences, often simultaneously, since prehistoric times and
through the dawn of Spain as a country. On the other side, the country
itself has been an important source of influence to other regions,
chiefly during the Modern Era, when it became a global empire that has
left a legacy of over 400 million Spanish speakers today.
Spain is a democracy organised in the form of a parliamentary government
under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the
ninth largest economy by nominal GDP, and high living standards (16th
highest HDI). It is a member of the United Nations, European Union,
NATO, OECD, and WTO. |
