Spain is a country in southwest Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula ? with Portugal ?.

History

Originally divided between Rome and Carthage, it was absorbed by Rome following the Punic Wars. When the Western Roman Empire dissolved, Vandals, Goths, and other barbarians invaded. Later on the Moors, muslims from North Africa, ruled Spain for hundreds of years.

The Moors were eventually driven out in 1492, by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The same year they expelled the Jews from Spain. Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World, and claimed it for Spain.

Spain established a large empire over most of the the New World, bringing back tons of gold. It also ruled over the Netherlands and Belgium for a time. Spain had colonies in the Philippines and North Africa as well. The high tide of Spain occurred in 1588 with the defeat of the Spanish Armada ?, sent to conquer England.

Beginning in the 1600's Spain entered a slow decline, becoming eclipsed by France regionally and by France and Great Britain as colonial powers. Spain lost most of its empire due to revolutions in the 1800's and a defeat in the Spanish-American War.

In the 1930's, Spain had a civil war, resulting in the defeat of the government and the establishment of a fascist dictatorship under Francisco Franco until 1975.

Since then Spain has had some trouble with the Basques ?, an ancient people who live in the northwest part of the country near the border with France.