Spain is located in southwestern Europe. Its capital, Madrid, lies toward the center of this beautiful country. The area of Spain expands over a distance of 195,364 square miles. The Spaniards are primarily a mixture of the native people of the Iberian Peninsula and the successive people who conquered the peninsula and inhabited it. . It was on January 1, 1986, that Spain became a full member of the European Community, which is now named the European Union. The population of Spain for the 2002 census was 40,077,100; this gave the country an overall density of 205 persons per square mile. The climate of Spain is indicated by extremes of temperature and generally low rainfall. The climate is along coasts is generally damp and cool. The central plateau of Spain has summers so dry that drought is often common. Most of Spain receives less than 24 inches of precipitation per year. The northern mountains, however, receive more moisture. By contrast, the southern Mediterranean coast has a subtropical climate. .
In tradition, Spain has been an agricultural country. It continues to be one of the major producers of farm cargo in Western Europe. In the mid-1950s, industrial growth began to rapidly spread. When a series of development plans were set in 1964, the economy expanded. Then in the 1970s, an economic delay occurred by rising oil costs and increased imports. Afterward, the government decided to emphasize the development of the steel, shipbuilding, textile, and mining industries. Much of Spain's income comes from tourism. Spain's main import is machinery; its main export is motor vehicles. In the late 1970s, the Spain's government transformed from the authoritarian command of Francisco Franco to a limited monarchy with an influential parliament. A national constitution was adopted in 1978.