Spain is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It has a variety of climates ranging from subtropical to continental and is home to Mediterranean plants, cork oaks, olives and dry steppe grasslands. Spain has a long history dating back to Catholic kings uniting the country in 1492 and joining the European Union in 1986. Some of Spain's most famous people include painter Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas, while popular landmarks are the Alhambra castle and the unfinished Sagrada Familia church designed by Antoni Gaudi.