Spain

Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula to the south of France and Andorra and to the east of Portugal.

It has coastlines on the Bay of Biscay (a part of the Atlantic Ocean) and the Mediterranean Sea. Spain’s capital and largest city are Madrid and the country is known for its long history, unique culture, a strong economy and very high living standards.
The area of present-day Spain and the Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited for thousands of years and some of the oldest archeological sites in Europe are located in Spain. In the 9th century B.C.E. the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Celts all entered the region but by the 2nd century B.C.E., the Romans had settled there. Roman settlement in Spain lasted until the 7th century but many of their settlements were taken over by the Visigoths who arrived in the 5th century. In 711 the North African Moors entered Spain and pushed the Visigoths to the north. The Moors remained in the area until 1492, despite several attempts to push them out.

By the 16th century, Spain was the most powerful country in Europe because of wealth obtained from its exploration of North and South America. By the later part of the century, however, it had been in several wars and its power declined.

In the early 1800s, it was occupied by France and it was involved in several wars, including the Spanish-American War (1898), throughout the 19th century. In addition, many of Spain’s overseas colonies revolted and gained their independence at this time. These problems led to a period of dictatorial rule in the country from 1923 to 1931. This time ended with the establishment of the Second Republic in 1931. Tensions and instability continued in Spain and in July 1936 the Spanish Civil War began.

The civil war ended in 1939 and General Francisco Franco took over Spain. By the beginning of World War II, Spain was officially neutral but it supported Axis power policies; because of this though it was isolated by the Allies following the war. In 1953 Spain signed the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with the United States and joined the United Nations in 1955.