Spain is a parliamentary monarchy and democratic country where all citizens are equal under the law. It adopted its constitution in 1978 which established it as a democracy and is the highest law. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and 2 cities, with communities composed of provinces and municipalities. The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries that Spain joined in 1986, providing benefits like tax-free trade, a shared currency, and guaranteed product quality standards.