• Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula.

• It is in the southwest of Europe.

• Spain takes up about 85% of Iberia.

• Gibraltar is a waterway that separates Spain from Africa.

• In the early years, Spain was ruled over by the Roman Empire.

• In the 700s AD, the Moors invaded from northern Africa and brought the Islamic religion.

• 1400s Christian rulers forced the Moors out of Spain.

• 1500s Spanish Empire reached its peak, including most of Central and South America (as well as the Southwestern U.S.

• The War of the Spanish Succession, which took place from 1701 until 1714, resulted in Spain's loss of Belgium, Luxembourg, Milan, Sardinia, and Naples.

• The civil war that followed lasted three years, and had nearly a million deaths.

• The war ended when Franco took Madrid on March 28, 1939; Spain became democratic.

• Franco was the only dictator of the time to die of old age “natural causes.”

• Spain became a constitutional democracy.

-Today Spain is a constitutional monarchy.-It has 17 regions with different levels of autonomy (self-government).- Regional governments decide on local issues such as health care, social programs, education, etc.- Spain’s central government controls foreign relations and national defense.

• Much of central Spain is covered by plateau surrounded by mountain ranges.

• There are also some lowlands located on the coast.

• Today, tourism and industry are bringing many people to the larger cities and coastal areas.

• The Rock of Gibraltar towers over the Mediterranean Sea near the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

• It was captured by the British in the 1700s and is still a British colony and naval base near the entrance to the Mediterranean from the Atlantic.

• Nearly all people of Spain are Roman Catholic.

• 75% speak Castilian Spanish; other languages include Basque and Catalan.

• Plazas are very popular to Spanish cities.

• Moorish influences can still be seen in Spain

-Manufactures machinery, automobiles, ships, other consumer goods.- Is a member of the European Union.-Agriculture is also important here.

Warm sunny weather and beautiful scenery attract tourists.Famous cultural and historic sites are found throughout the country. Drawbacks of tourism: major traffic problems, pollution, and overbuilding in scenic areas.

Make Sure You Visit:-Plaza Mayor-Museo del Prado-Centro de Arte Reina Sofía-Parque de Retiro-Museo de America-The Mezquita-Visit the Alhambra in Granada.-Plaza de la Villa-Giralda in Sevilla-The Triana bridge in Sevilla designed by Eiffel

**For information on these fun things to do in Spain, you can visit:http://www.in-spain.info/top20/20-things-to-do-in-spain.htm

-The unbelievable view at Ronda-See the best fútbol in Europe-See art by Diego Velazquez-See Frank Gehry's amazing architecture-Catedral de San Isidro-Bull fighting rings (the oldest is in Ronda)-The White Pueblos in Andalusia-Running with the Bulls in Pamplona-Gaudi´s architecture in Barcelona-Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid (background picture)

-Spaniards start off their day with a light breakfast of pastry, and drink coffee or thick hot chocolate.-The main meal of the day, comida, is lunch. They usually eat comida at 2 or 3 o’clock everyday.-Dinner is eaten between 8pm and midnight.

Despite recent economic growth, the country still has one of the highest unemployment rates in Western Europe. Immigration from northern Africa is causing more of a shortage of jobs. Some of Spain’s autonomous regions are looking for independence (some, like the Basques have become violent).

• Portugal lies in the western part of Iberia and faces the Atlantic.

• Closely mirror’s Spain’s history.

• After the Moors were driven from Iberia, the Portuguese built a powerful colonial empire.

• The Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores are all that remain of the old empire.

• Physically consists of mostly flat coastal areas with a few mountains.

• Religion - Predominantly Catholic

• Government - Democratic

• Language – Portuguese• Problems caused by

immigration from Northern Africa (just like Spain)

Member of the European Union

Tourism

Export wine

Major industry is cork. Much of Portugal is covered with cork oak trees, which provide the basis for the country’s cork industry. Some trees can provide cork for more than 100 years.

• http://goodlett.proteomics.washington.edu/group_members/images/spain-flag.gif• http://www.bsp.gov.ph/bspnotes/evolution/spanish_era.jpg• http://concierge.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/29/san_millan_de_cogolla_spain.jpg• http://www.europe-travel-guides.com/Illustrations/JPG/Countries-slides/spain-slide-07.jpg• http://www.eyeonspain.com/spain-magazine/Images/school.jpg• http://birminghamalrealestateandcommunitypics.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/p6231201.jpg• http://www.ihspain.com/images/sev/hostfamily.jpg• http://www.indigoguide.com/spain-images/seville.jpg• http://www.funnymos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/La_Tomatina_Bunol_Spain.jpg• http://www.travelaroundeurope.co.uk/images/madrid/tapas-patatas-bravas.jpg• http://www.apartrent.co.uk/REGIONS/LA%20TIENDA%20PICS/PAELLA/main_paella.jpg• http://www.umawylde.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/seville-oranges.jpg• http://united-arab-emirates.gfx.tripist.com/photos/12040/sevilles_spanish_restaurant_of_dubai.jpg• http://www.yourlamanga.com/Images/SpanishBeach.jpg • http://www.spaintraveldeals.org/wp-content/uploads/e32ef513afa81f4.jpg• http://birminghamalrealestateandcommunitypics.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/p6231201.jpg• http://casamatthew.com/Location_Map_Spain.jpg• http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/country/img/17731_map-spain.jpg• http://www.idealspain.com/Illustrations/Maps/regionsofspain.jpg• http://spain.costasur.com/en/climate.html• http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/spain.html• www.idealspain.com/Illustrations/Map/regionsofspain.jpg• www.kidport.com/REFLIB/worldgeography/spain/spain.htm#geographiclsndmarks• www.classbrain.com/art_cr/publish/spain_government.shtml• http://countrystudies.us/spain/71.htm• http://countrystudies.us/spain/71.htm • http://www.theodora.com/wfb2003/spain/spain_geography.html• http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107987.html?pageno=4

• BOOKS• LeannaBoychenko, Leanna, Simon Schama, Clem Wood, and Jane Yeager. "Spain." Let's Go Europe 2008. Ed. Ines Pacheco. New York: St. Martin's, 2007. 888-958. Print.• McDonald, Ferdie, and Claire Marsden. "Spain." Ed. Simon Hall. Europe. Ed. Sam Atkinson and Andrew Szudek. New York, New York: DK, 2010. 276-351. Print.• "Spain." Fodor's Essential Europe. Ed. Matthew Lombardi, Linda Cabasin, Robert I.C. Fisher, Maria Hart, Salwa Jabado, Kelly Kealy, Laura Kidder, Rachel Klein, and Caroline

Trefler. New York: Fodor's, 2009. 725-804. Print.