Spain,
officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a member state of the European
Union 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 the British Overseas Territory
of 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. Since January 1, 2010,
Spain has held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
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. Conversely, 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, making it the world's second most spoken
language by native speakers. Spain is a democracy organized in the form
of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy.
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, making it the world's second most spoken
language by native speakers. Spain is a democracy organized in the form
of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy.
Spain
is a developed country with the ninth or tenth largest economy in the
world by nominal GDP, and very high living standards.
No comments:
Post a Comment