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Spain
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’s major focus for the
immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic
recession that started in mid-2008.
Location – South western
Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest
of France
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