Countries Of The World: Spain

Image 1. The Puento Nuevo in Ronda, Spain. The bridge was built in the late 1700s and has a chamber inside it. Photo by: Getty

Images/Evgeni Dinev Photography.

Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. It stretches from the Pyrenees Mountains to the

Strait of Gibraltar. The strait is a narrow body of water that separates Spain from Africa. To the

east lies the Mediterranean Sea, including Spain's Balearic Islands. Spain also rules two cities in

North Africa and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

The interior of Spain is a high, dry plateau surrounded and crisscrossed by mountain ranges.

Rivers run to the coasts, creating good farmland. Still, the interior of the country gets very hot in

summer and very cold and dry in the winter. Droughts are common.

The southern and eastern coasts of Spain are often swept by warm winds. They are called

sirocco winds. They come from northern Africa and keep temperatures along the Mediterranean

coast milder than the interior.

By National Geographic Kids, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.25.18

Word Count 677

Level 830L

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1

Nature

Spain is a link between Europe and Africa. For this reason, it is an important resting spot for

migratory birds. Spain is also home to such animals as the wolf, lynx, fox, deer and wild goat.

Streams and lakes shelter fish. But many animals face threats from habitat loss and pollution.

After hundreds of years of tree cutting, large forests are now found in only a few areas. Spain has

created many national parks and refuges. However, they only cover a small fraction of the

country.

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One protected area is Doñana National Park. It is a region of marshes, streams and sand dunes

where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic. The park is home to a range of wildlife. Rare

animals such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the Iberian lynx are found here.

People And Culture

Many Spaniards share a common ethnic background. It is a mixture of the early inhabitants of the

Iberian Peninsula, the Celts and later conquerors from Europe and Africa. The origins of the

Basque people in the north of Spain remain unknown. Recent immigrants from North Africa and

Latin America have added to the mix.

Spaniards are known for their love of life and for eating and drinking with family and friends.

Traditional appetizers like tapas are popular. Regional dances and music are almost as important

as soccer and religious festivals.

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Government And Economy

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy. That means that power is shared by the king and the elected

president. Each of Spain's 17 regions manages its own schools, hospitals and other public

services.

Spain is known for its historic cities and sunny beaches. It attracts more tourists than any other

European country except France. The tourism industry drives Spain's economy. Other important

industries include mining, shipbuilding and textiles.

History

Settlers have migrated to Spain from Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean since the dawn of

history. The Phoenicians arrived about 2,700 years ago. They called the peninsula "Span," or

hidden land. About 700 years later, the Romans had conquered Spain.

Under the Romans, Spain became mostly Christian. Later, Germanic peoples from Europe called

the Vandals and the Visigoths took over. The Visigoth rulers fought among themselves, and

in A.D. 711 Muslims from Africa invaded Spain.

Over time, Islamic culture spread across Spain. Muslim rulers introduced new crops and irrigation

systems, and trading increased. Mathematics and medicine became more advanced. They

reached their peak in the 900s, the golden age of Islamic rule in Spain.

In 1492, Christian kingdoms in northern Spain conquered the Muslims. Made rich by silver from

the Americas, Spain grew more powerful. It later lost land and power in the Napoleonic Wars,

which ended in 1815.

More than 500,000 people died in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. The winning General

Francisco Franco took over and ruled as a dictator. A dictator controls every part of the

government. He can make laws, control the army and decide who gets elected for any

government job. After Franco died in 1975, Spain began to transform itself. It became a modern,

industrial and democratic European nation.

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