Thanks to its strategic location on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, the Kingdom of Spain has long been a place where various cultures and religions have come together. Before the Greeks established trading colonies along Spain's eastern coast during the eighth century BCE, the Basques, Iberians, and Celts were firmly entrenched in the region. The Romans, who ruled Spain from the second century BCE until the fifth century CE, gave the country its name-Hispana-and also brought Christianity and the Latin language to Iberia. Three centuries later, the Moors gained control of Spain and brought their literature, music, art, and architecture. By the late fifteenth century. Christian rule was restored to Spain after Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castille captured the Muslim stronghold of Granada and united the country for the first time in its history. Written by experienced geographers, each volume in the Modern World Nations series offers a comprehensive overview of the people, geography, history, government, economy, and culture that make each of our world's countries unique. Book jacket.