Is Spain a European country? Seems like a silly question, doesn’t it?

Maybe this question hides more than you think because Spain not only belongs to Europe but also has part of its territory on another continent! Do you know which one?

In this post, besides telling you which other continent Spain shares territory with, we will talk about Spain as a member of the EU and the cultural differences concerning other European countries. We will also touch in some way on the historical part.

I won’t tell you anything else! Now it’s your turn to soak up some new information that I’m sure you’ll find very interesting!

Geographically

Did you know that Spain is not only in Europe? Spain is a transcontinental country located southwest of Europe, with part of its territory in North Africa.

Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula and consists of two archipelagos: the Canary archipelago (in the Atlantic Ocean) and the Balearic archipelago (in the Mediterranean Sea).

As far as North Africa is concerned, Spain has two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla, as well as several islands, such as the Rock of Al Hoceima (“Peñón de Alhucemas”), the Rock of Velez de la Gomera (“Peñón Vélez de la Gomera”), the Chafarinas Islands, and the island of Perejil.

If you want to know more about the Spanish territories present in the African continent, take a look at these posts:

Is Spain in Africa? The 5 Spanish Territories in The African Continent

Is Spain part of two continents at the same time?! YES!

Legally

European Union

Spain joined the European Union in 1986, although the Accession Treaty in Madrid was signed in June 1985.

The process for Spain to become a member of the EU began in 1975 with the arrival of democracy. However, the objective was not achieved until years later.

During the first years in which Spain was part of the European Union, it benefited the most from the distribution of Community funds. This was because the country had a per capita income of less than 75% of the Community average, so joining the EU meant a strong economic boost for Spain.

There are two agreements that I consider important to highlight concerning Spain as a member of the EU:

• In 1991, Spain signed the Schengen Agreement along with many other European countries. An agreement that abolished border controls between those member countries and allowed the free movement of people.
• In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, which began having a single currency, the Euro. But it was only on January 1, 2002, that the Euro was circulated among all those EU countries.

If you want to know more about Spain as a member of the European Union and understand what the European Union is, click here!

Council of Europe

In the Council of the EU, national ministers meet periodically to coordinate policies and adopt EU laws. The representatives of the Spanish government attend the meetings organized by the Council to deal with the different issues to be addressed.

Unlike the Parliament or the European Commission, the Council of the EU does not have a permanent one-person presidency. The country holding the Presidency of the Council is the one that directs its work and the decisions taken, rotating every 6 months.

During those 6 months, the government ministers help to face the meetings of the Council of each political area and facilitate the dialogue with the rest of the members of the EU.

Official source: European Union

Culturally

Cultural Differences between Spain and other European countries

Spain has several cultural differences from other European countries. Among the main differences, we find the following:

• The Mediterranean Culture is not present everywhere in Europe
• Spain is a collective and friendly society
• Spaniards may be closer to some Hispanic-American cultures than to those of Northern/Eastern Europe
• Spain is considered the noisiest country in Europe
• Young Spaniards are among the latest to leave their parent’s house
• Living costs are lower in Spain than in other European countries
• Spain has a different gastronomy than the rest of Europe

Do Spanish look European?

If you want to discover the truth about whether Spaniards look like Europeans, click here!

Also, we have two other articles that will greatly help you!

5 Easy Ways to Recognize a Spanish by how they look

Are Spanish People Tall? Data, Comparissions and 10 Peoples Opinion

Historically

Spain is a country with deep historical roots. It is a country that played a crucial role and was the protagonist of several phenomena and events that marked a before and after in the history of Europe.

The best way for you to visualize and understand the history of Spain is through the timeline we have created with all the data and historical events of great relevance for you to become an expert!

Spain’s History Timeline: Key Events and Most Important Dates

We also have a very complete guide about the Spanish Empire, which you shouldn’t miss!

What was the Spanish Empire? A Complete Begginer’s Guide

I hope this post has been of great help and helped you discover something new that maybe you didn’t know before about Spain and its membership in the European Union.

Ahh, I almost forgot! We also have a list of books we recommend about Spain’s history. All of them are excellent books that are well worth reading and will expand your knowledge, so here is the link!

The 13 Top-Rated Spanish History Books: Get your Best Seller!