Spain hardly needs an introduction as it’s the second most visited country in the world (after France). With the majority of those 83 million annual tourists heading for the Costas, it’s not really surprising that a large percentage of its 47½ million inhabitants live around the coastline, but it’s not all sun, sea and sangria. In the centre of the country lies its capital Madrid, which has some great art galleries, football clubs, and perhaps best of all, nightlife.

Europe’s fourth largest country also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off the West Coast of Africa. Talking of Africa, across the Strait of Gibraltar lies Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish Autonomous Cities that Morocco believes shouldn’t be Spanish at all. If that doesn’t make geographical sense, then neither does the fact that Gibraltar is British and not Spanish. On the Spanish mainland, this mainly Roman Catholic country, is divided up into 17 Autonomous Communities, each of which have an independent character of their own. Some of these Communities, mainly Catalonia and the Basque Region, have large numbers of people who would like to separate from Spain altogether, but so far they have been thwarted by the country’s national government.

Spain has a long and varied history including a period known as the Francoist Dictatorship during the 20^th century. General Francisco Franco came to power after leading the Nationalists to victory over the Republicans in the 1936-39 Civil War. After his death in 1975 the country returned to democracy and today is a Constitutional Monarchy with King Felipe VI the current Head of State. It is also a member of the European Union and NATO Alliance.