Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.

Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. With an area of 504,030 km², it is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France.

Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many external influences since prehistoric times and through to its dawn as a country. Conversely, it has been an important source of influence to other regions, chiefly during the Modern Era, when it became a global empire that has left a legacy of over 400 million Spanish speakers today, making it the world's second most spoken first language.

Spain is a democracy organised in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the ninth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, and very high living standards (15th highest Human Development Index), including the tenth-highest quality of life index rating in the world, as of 2005. It is a member of the United Nations, European Union, NATO, OECD, and WTO.


Kingdom of Spain
Reino de España
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Plus Ultra" (Latin)
"Further Beyond"
Anthem: "Marcha Real" (Spanish)
"Royal March"
Location of  Spain  (dark green)– on the European continent  (light green & dark grey)– in the European Union  (light green)  —  [Legend]
Location of Spain (dark green)

– on the European continent (light green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (light green) — [Legend]

Capital
(and largest city)
Madrid
40°26′N 3°42′W / 40.433°N 3.7°W / 40.433; -3.7
Official language(s) Spanish
Recognised regional languages Aranese, Basque, Catalan/Valencian and Galician
Ethnic groups 87.8% Spanish, 12.2% (Romanian, Moroccan, Germans, Ecuadorian, British) other (2010)
Demonym Spanish, Spaniard
Government Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
- King Juan Carlos I
- Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (PSOE)
Formation 15th century
- Traditional date 569 (Ascension to the throne of Liuvigild)
- Dynastic 1479
- de facto 1812
- de jure 1716
- Constitutional democracy 1978
EU accession 1 January 1986
Area
- Total 504,030 km2 (51st)
195,364 sq mi
- Water (%) 1.04
Population
- 2010 estimate 46,030,109 (27th)
- Density 93/km2 (106th)
231/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2009 estimate
- Total $1.360 trillion
- Per capita $29,689
GDP (nominal) 2009 estimate
- Total $1.464 trillion
- Per capita $31,946
Gini (2005) 32
HDI (2007) 0.955 (very high) (15th)
Currency Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone CET[note 4] (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Date formats dd.mm.yyyy (Spanish; CE)
Drives on the right
Internet TLD .es
Calling code 34