Spain (Spanish España), constitutional monarchy of southwestern Europe, occupying the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula, and bounded on the north by the Bay of Biscay, France, and Andorra; on the east by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. The British dependency of Gibraltar is situated at the southern extremity of Spain.

The Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa are governed as provinces of Spain. Also, Spain administers two small exclaves in Morocco—Ceuta and Melilla—as well as three island groups near Africa—Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera and the Alhucemas and Chafarinas islands.

The area of Spain, including the African and insular territories, is 504,782 sq km (194,897 sq mi). Madrid is the capital and largest city.

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Aragón, autonomous region and former kingdom, northeastern Spain, bordering on the Pyrenees Mountains. The region is now composed of the provinces of Huesca, Saragossa, and Teruel; its capital is the city of Saragossa.

After the Romans defeated the Carthaginians during the Punic Wars, Aragón became part of the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis. The Visigoths conquered the region late in the 5th century, the Moors in the 8th century. Subsequently the region was incorporated with the kingdom of Navarre. In 1035 Ramiro I, a son of the Navarrese ruler Sancho III, established Aragón as an independent kingdom. Navarre was annexed in 1076, and during the next 100 years additional territory was added by successful wars against the Moors.

In 1137 Aragón was united with Catalonia and Barcelona. Aragón grew into a leading Mediterranean naval power around the port of Barcelona. The kings of Aragón gained possession of the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples during the next two centuries. In 1238 the important city of Valencia was captured by Aragón from the Moors. The marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragón (later Ferdinand V of Castile) to Isabella I of Castile united those two regions.

Formal merger of the two kingdoms took place on the accession of Charles I in 1516, but Aragón retained its own administration and representative institutions until the end of the 17th century. Area, 47,669 sq km (18,405 sq mi).

Population (1986) 1,214,729.

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Saragossa (Spanish Zaragoza), city in northeastern Spain, capital of Aragon Region and Saragossa Province, on the the Ebro river.

The city is an important industrial, railroad, and commercial center. Principal manufactures are textiles, agricultural machinery, glass, cement, and refined sugar.

Most notable architectural landmarks are the La Seo Cathedral, built between the 12th and 16th centuries; the 17th-century El Pilar Cathedral, containing a chapel decorated with frescoes by Spanish masters; the Castillo de la Aljafería, a citadel built originally by the Moors and later the royal residence of the former kingdom of Aragon; and the 16th-century Lonja, or Exchange, a richly decorated Renaissance building. The University of Saragossa (1533) is located in the city.

The ancient settlement Salduba originally occupied the site of present-day Saragossa. Salduba was captured in the 1st century BC by the Romans, who renamed it Caesaraugusta; the present name is a corruption of the Roman name. After the 6th century AD, the city was ruled successively by the Suevi, the Visigoths, and the Moors. From the 12th century to the latter half of the 15th century, it was the capital of Aragón. Saragossa declined in importance after the unification of the kingdoms of Aragón and Castile in 1469.

The city became renowned throughout Europe, however, during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), when its citizens displayed extreme heroism against a besieging French army in 1808 to 1809.

Population (1991) 837,327.

"Saragossa," Microsoft (R) Encarta. Copyright (c) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. Copyright (c) 1994 Funk & Wagnall's Corporation.