espanjaa

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by Portugal to the west, France and Andorra to the northeast, and the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the south and east. It includes the Balearic and Canary Islands and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. The capital and largest city is Madrid. Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. The head of state is the monarch and the head of government is the prime minister, who is elected by the Cortes Generales. The current constitution, enacted in 1978, defines Spain as a social and democratic state with regional autonomies.

The terrain is diverse, with the Pyrenees forming a northern border and the Sierra Nevada rising in the south. The climate ranges from Mediterranean along the coast to continental in the interior and oceanic in the north. The country has varied ecosystems and a long coastline.

Historically, the region was home to ancient Iberians and Celts, later conquered by Rome as Hispania. After centuries of rule by various powers, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon united in the late 15th century, leading to a global empire. The 20th century saw turmoil, civil war (1936–39), and a long dictatorship under Franco until his death in 1975, after which Spain transitioned to democracy and joined the European Union in 1986.

Administratively, Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities, with co-official languages in several regions, including Catalan, Galician, and Basque. The official language at the national level is Spanish (Castilian). The economy is highly developed, with tourism, manufacturing, and services as major sectors, and it remains one of the largest economies in the EU. Spain is renowned for its cultural heritage, literature, art, architecture, cuisine, and regional traditions.