Spain has undergone significant transformations over the past three decades, from a dictatorship to a democracy & from a mostly local & agriculture-based economy to one of the biggest financial systems in the EU & internationally. Until 2008, it enjoyed a major influx of foreign investment & the most rapid economic growth of any of the countries in the EU, resulting in half of the new jobs created during the early days of the Union. Yet, it now faces the highest rate of unemployment in Europe & slow growth for the foreseeable future. in addition, the country faces internal strife from the separatist Basque region & stringent austerity measures. In Spain: What Everyone Needs to Know, veteran journalist William Chislett recounts the country`s fascinating & often turbulent history, beginning with the Muslim conquest in 711 & ending with the nation`s deep economic crisis, sparked by the spectacular collapse of its real estate & construction sectors. He explains how some of the ghosts of the 1936-39 Civil War were laid to rest & the country moved to democracy, & covers issues such as the devolution of power to the country`s 17 regions, the creation of a welfare state, the influx of several million immigrants over a very short time span, the religious cleavage, the strengths & weaknesses of the economy & how the country can create a more sustainable economic model. What happens in Spain matters. As Chislett shows, the country is much more than bullfighting & flamenco. It is an international economic power, & its future will significantly shape that of the European Union.