The Iberian Protectorate

Home to 35 million Federal citizens, the Iberian Protectorate borders France’s south, roughly divided by the Pyrenees mountains. Prior to the Human-Vannai War, Iberia hosted five nations; Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar as an overseas territory of Britain, and a small portion of France.
==History==
===Pre-war===
A region with a long and complicated history of war, strife, prosperity and contest for global dominance against the other powers of Europe. Iberia entered the 20th century with Spain reeling from the disastrous Spanish-American War which saw it lose the last of its colonies other than those it held in Africa. Portugal was swept up in political turmoil following the assassination of its monarch due to poor rule, leading to the establishment of 45 different governments in the first 15 years of the 1900s. Portugal sided with the Allies during World War I, weakening its already frail economy, while Spain remained neutral. The intense, multifaceted Spanish Civil War that took place between World War I and World War II resulted in an estimated 500000 deaths, ending in 1939 with the establishment of a Spanish dictatorship. Although Spain officially remained neutral during WWII, it provided some assistance to Italy and Germany, and suffered from a decade of isolation in the period afterwards as a result. Portugal remained neutral as well, but afterwards became a founding member of NATO in 1949. The next several decades saw substantial economic recovery in Spain, while Portugal unsuccessfully attempted to resist the loss of its overseas territories, turning over it's last territory of Macau to China in 1999. Spain joined the United Nations in 1955 and was a fierce opponent of Communism during the Cold War and enjoy the support of the West as a result, while Portugal erred more towards the left over the decades. The 21st century saw the exposure of widespread corruption both within the government and the monarchy, as well as the rise of independence movements in areas such as Catalonia. 
===Human-Vannai War===
During the Human-Vannai War, the government of Spain, already disorganized at the best of times and purposefully decentralized, devolved into a situation similar to France as various small communities drew together to assure their own security. The comparative stability of Spain saw the region become a vital source of food for Europe, despite the arid conditions of the Iberian Peninsula, as the typical main source of agriculture in Europe, France, was subject to civil turmoil and could not be considered a reliable exporter. This position of importance prompted the Spanish government, under the advisory of Italy, to push for more power in the European Union, eventually declaring intent to completely isolate themselves diplomatically, militarily and economically. Increased belligerence from Italy in stride with Spain’s harsh isolationist stance led to some speculation about the emergence of a “Latin Bloc” alliance between the two nations, possibly with some elements of France in the Provence-alpes-côte d'azur region, where the ACC-affiliated institute, the Lacroix Foundation, had been established. This association was exploited by Federalist conspirators to further discredit ACC while also souring opinions towards the Spaniards and Italians, which were painted as selfish and callous to the needs of the rest of Europe in a time of crisis.
Catalonian agitators, with Italian backing and supply, covertly began "insurgent operations" in areas now under the control of Germany-occupied France. Hanse’s influence in Europe had taken severe blow following its ousting from Germany, and attempts by ACC to diffuse the situation were rebuked. German troops at French garrisons were soon mobilized, and fighting broke out between the Spanish insurgents and German forces throughout the Midi-Prénées region.
Acting in support of the German ground forces countering the insurgency, the British Parliamentary Republic planned a full-scale naval invasion of the peninsula from the Gulf of Cádiz. The original plan for the invasion entailed landing in Portugal and proceeding through the rest of the peninsula. However, the Portuguese put up far less resistance than had been anticipated; in fact, in Portugal, the BPR found a number of willing collaborators, hastening their progress through the peninsula by a full month. Faced with invasion from the north and from the west, Spain surrendered. 
Although suffering the ignominy of defeat, the Spaniards spared themselves the bloodshed that the German invasion of France had curtailed. With Germany already occupying France, Spain, Portugal,  Andorra and Gibraltar were merged into the Iberian Protectorate and taken under the administration of the BPR.
===Post-war===
In 2019, the BPR became a founding member of the European Federation, taking the Iberian Protectorate with it. Iberia was integrated into the Federation as an independent state, representing a combined population of Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar in a similar vein to other arbitrary territorial consolidations such as which brought about the Low Countries and the recreation of Czechoslovakia. The title "protectorate" is little more than a holdover from the years the peninsula was administered by the BPR; within the Federation, Iberia has equal representation to other constituent entities of the EuF (that is to say, none meaningful).
==Government==
After Spain surrendered to the Anglo-German Alliance, Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar were consolidated into a single polity under the direct control of the British Parliamentary Republic. As a protectorate, the Iberian government possessed only limited autonomy, and its citizens were considered secondary those of the BPR. When Iberia became a member of the European Federation, the peninsula regained a measure of sovereignty that hypothetically put it back on par with that of Britain. In actuality, like other provinces of the EuF, the current government has effectively no power and its scope of influence is limited in local policies of very little consequence.
==Policies==
===Military===
Iberia contributes troops and equipment to the Federal Armed Forces of Europe.
===Economic===
Spain possessed the fifth largest economy in Europe prior to the invasion, Portugal the twentieth, Andorra the forty-ninth. Together, Automobile manufacturing represented a significant proportion of the economy, followed by oils and petroleum. Substantial effort has been put into developing the peninsula's agricultural productivity as well despite the arid conditions and poor soil quality. Spain was previously the largest exporter of wine in the world, with sales often relabeled as French or Italian.
===Diplomacy===
As a subject of the European Federation, matters of international policy are handled at the Federal level. 
The countries making up the modern Iberian protectorate share populations harboring a not insignificant amount of resentment towards the Federation for their modern circumstances, though the case with Iberia is less severe than in France due to the different means by which these respective populations were integrated. The Portuguese for their part remain mostly cooperative, while the Spaniards remain generally resentful if largely apathetic to their fate.
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Category:TE Nations
Category:European Federation
Category:Iberia
Category:Europe