Spain is in southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains. It is southwest of France.

Spain’s climate is considered temperate with clear, hot summers in the interior, and more moderate and cloudy conditions along coast. The winters are cloudy and cold in the interior and partly cloudy and cool along coast. The major feature of the terrain is a plateau surrounded by rugged hills and the Pyrenees Mountains in the north.

Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World War I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the European Union in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it an example of freedom and human rights. More recently the government has had to focus on measures to reverse a severe economic recession that began in mid-2000.

Spain’s 47 million people live in seven autonomous communities and two autonomous cities.

The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty.

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy with the monarchy being hereditary.

King Felipe VI is the head of government.

The president of the government (equivalent to a prime minister) is Mariano Rajoy, assisted by a Council of Ministers designated by the president.

There is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are nonbinding.

Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed as president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly.

In 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any “shared sovereignty” arrangement. The government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the United Kingdom and Spain. Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy.

Morocco protests Spain’s control over the Places of Sovereignty on Morocco’s coast. Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa.

Despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain’s long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market.

SOURCE: CIA Factbook