The Iberian people from North Africa were one of the first to arrive
             in Spain in about 1000 BC. They were followed by the Celts from the north
             and the Phoenicians from the Mediterranean. The Romans came in the 3rd
             century BC, and became the dominant power over the next few centuries. The
             Romans had a great impact on Spain as their laws, languages and customs
             were adopted by the Spanish people. In 409 AD, Roman Spain was invaded by
             Germanic tribes who established a Visigothic kingdom in the country. They
             ruled until 711, when the Muslims from North Africa (known as Moors)
             conquered most of Spain. The Muslim rule lasted in Spain for the next 800
             years during which arts and sciences flourished.
             The next phase in Spanish history started with the re-conquest of
             the country by the Christians. In the 15th century the Muslims were
             defeated by the Catholic Christian Monarchs and expelled from the country.
             This was the start of the Golden Period' in Spanish history during which
             Columbus discovered America in 1492 and Spain became a major colonial power
             The Spanish empire began to weaken in the 18th and 19th centuries
             after a series of expensive wars with France, Britain and the USA. Its
             decisive defeat in the American-Spanish war of 1898 signaled the end of the
             Another significant episode in Spain's history is the Civil War of
             1936-39 between the Nationalists supported by the Nazis, and the
             Republicans supported by the Soviets and foreign idealists. The defeat of
             the Republicans led to a 35-year fascist rule by General Franco. Spain is
             now a democratic country, member of the European Union (EU) and a famous
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