Spain is one of the largest countries in Europe in area & occupies about five-sixths of the Iberian Peninsula, which lies in southwestern Europe between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Portugal occupies the rest of the peninsula. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Madrid, Spain's capital and largest city, stands in the center of the country. Spain ranks among the major manufacturing nations of Europe. Most Spaniards live in cities, and modern urban ways of life have become commonplace. Many of the country's old customs, such as taking a siesta (nap or rest) after lunch, are disappearing. Spain is one of the world's leading tourist countries.

Each year, millions of people visit Spain's sunny Mediterranean beaches and islands, the rocky Atlantic coast, and the castles and churches that stand in historic Spanish cities. On Spain's northeastern border, the mighty Pyrenees Mountains separate Spain from France. These mountains once formed a great barrier to overland travel between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. Africa lies only about 8 miles (13 kilometers) south of Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. Most of Spain is a high, dry plateau called the Meseta. Hills and mountains rise throughout the Meseta, and north of it mountains extend across the peninsula.

In spite of Spain's rugged landscape and limited resources, the Spaniards established one of the largest empires in world history. In the A.D. 700's, Arabs and other Muslim people from northern Africa conquered most of Spain. They held control for hundreds of years. In the 1000's, Spanish Christians began to drive the Muslims from the country. The Christians finally defeated the Muslims in 1492. That same year, Christopher Columbus, an Italian navigator in the service of Spain, reached America-sailing in Spanish ships. Columbus's voyage touched off a great age of Spanish exploration and conquest. The Spaniards built an empire that included much of.

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