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The Mediterranean Sea bounds the Spanish mainland and is bordered to the south and east by the except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar. In the west it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. There is the border of the Morocco which is of about the area of the 504,030 km. After France, Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe. Spain was later conquered by a Muslim people, the Moors. Christian kingdoms gradually rolled back Muslim rule, completing this Reconquista. Spain became the leading world power. It has the global empire and world distribution that had never been approached by its predecessors. It has the legacy of over 400 million Spanish-speakers which are worldwide. The world's 51st-largest country is the Spain. It is some 47,000 km² smaller than France. It is 81,000 km² larger than the U.S. state of California.

On the west, there are the Spain borders and on the south it is the Portugal; its borders Gibraltar and Morocco are through the cities in North Africa. It borders are France and the tiny principality of Andorra. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. There are the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side. Along the Pyrenees in Catalonia, there is a small exclave town called Llívia. It is surrounded by France. The little Pheasant Island in the River Bidasoa is a Spanish-French condominium. Spain is a key country when it comes to studying the human prehistory of Europe.

Hispania became one of the Roman Empire's most important regions. It came under Germanic rule during the early middle Ages. Muslim invaders later conquered it. Through a very long and fitful process, the Christian kingdoms in the north gradually rolled back Muslim rule. In this year the Columbus reached the New World that was the global empire. Spain became the strongest kingdom in Europe. It was leading world power during the 16th century and first half of the 17th century. It also continued wars and other problems which eventually led to a diminished status.