the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.[note 6] 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. 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.
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.
Statistics:
System of government: Parliamentary Democracy & Constitutional monarchy.
Area : 504,030 km2 (195,364 sq mi ).
Number of inhabitants : 46,661,950.
Density of population : 90 people per km2.
Official languages
Spanish (de facto) & Recognised regional languages:
Aranese, Basque, Catalan, Valencian, Galician
Climate:
Due to Spain's geographical situation and orographic conditions, the climate is extremely diverse; discounting the mountain climate, it can be roughly divided into five areas:
- A Continental Mediterranean climate in the inland areas of the Peninsula (largest city, Madrid).
- An Oceanic climate in Galicia and the coastal strip near the Bay of Biscay or (largest city, Bilbao). This area is often called Green Spain.
- A Semiarid climate or arid Mediterranean in the southeast (largest city, Murcia).
- A Mediterranean climate region extends from the Andalusian plain along the southern and eastern coasts up to the Pyrenees, on the seaward side of the mountain ranges that run near the coast. Also in Ceuta and Melilla (largest city, Barcelona). Localized Subtropical climate areas exist in the coasts of Granada and Málaga (Costa Tropical).
- A Subtropical climate in the Canary Islands (largest city, Las Palmas).
The rain in Spain does not stay mainly in the plain. It falls mainly in the northern mountains.
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