Large flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Climate
Temperate; clear hot summers in interior more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy cold winters in interior partly cloudy and cool along coast
Natural Hazards
Large flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Note:
Strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas
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 Wars 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 EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization but its major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008. Read more on Wikipedia
