FACTS ABOUT SPAIN
The Spanish mainland is bordered by
the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east, by the Cantabric Sea
that includes the Bay of Biscay to the north, and by the Atlantic
Ocean and Portugal to the west. Spanish territory also includes the
Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off the
African coast. It shares land borders with Portugal, France,
Andorra, the British colony of Gibraltar, and Morocco. It is the
largest of the three sovereign states that make up the Iberian
Peninsula the others being Portugal and Andorra. With an area of
504, 030 km, Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe
(behind France).
Spain is a constitutional monarchy organised as a parliamentary
democracy, and has been a member of the European Union since 1986.
It is a developed country with the ninth largest economy in the
world and fifth largest in the EU, based on nominal GDP.
History of Spain
Spain has a very ancient and complex prehistory. Under the Roman
empire Hispania flourished and became one of the empire's most
important regions. During the early Middle Ages it came under
Germanic rule. Later, nearly the entire peninsula came under Muslim
rulers. Through a long process Christian kingdoms in the north
gradually rolled back Muslim rule, which was finally extinguished in
1492. That year Columbus reached the Americas, the beginnings of the
first global empire. Spain became the strongest kingdom in Europe in
the 16th and first half of the 17th centuries but continued wars and
other problems eventually led to a diminished status. In the middle
decades of the 20th century it came under a dictatorship, under
which it went through many years of stagnation and then a
spectacular economic revival. In 1986 it joined the European Union
and has experienced an economic and cultural renaissance.
Modern humans in the form of Cro-Magnons began arriving in the
Iberian Peninsula from the Pyrenees some 35, 000 years ago. The best
known artifacts of these prehistoric human settlements are the
famous paintings in the Altamira cave of Cantabria in northern
Spain, which were created about 15, 000 BCE. New archeological
research at Atapuerca indicates that the Iberian Peninsula was
peopled more than a million years ago.
The two main historical peoples of the peninsula were the Iberians
and the Celts, the former inhabiting the Mediterranean side from the
northeast to the southwest, the latter inhabiting the Atlantic side,
in the north and northwest part of the peninsula. In the inner part
of the peninsula, where both groups were in contact, a mixed,
distinctive, culture was present, known as Celtiberian. Different
names of places witness their geographical distribution. Celts
founded military forts (from the Celt "briga" = fortress) that later
evolved into cities such as Coimbra, Braga, and Segovia.[5] The
Iberians gave their name to Spain's longest river Ebro (or "Iberian
river") and to cities such as Ilici (present-day Elche) and Ilerda (Lrida).
In addition, Basques occupied the western area of the Pyrenees
mountains, although some geographical names attest their presence as
far south as Aranjuez, a name that originates in the Basque words
aran zuri ("valley of thorns") and contemporary Basque aranzazu
(thorn, thistle). Other ethnic groups existed along the southern
coastal areas of present day Andalusia. Among these southern groups
there grew the earliest urban culture in the Iberian Peninsula, that
of the semi-mythical southern city of Tartessos (perhaps pre-1100
BC) near the location of present-day Cdiz. The flourishing trade in
gold and silver between the people of Tartessos and Phoenicians and
Greeks is documented in the history of Strabo and in the biblical
book of king Solomon. Between about 500 BC and 300 BC, the seafaring
Phoenicians and Greeks founded trading colonies along the
Mediterranean coast. These colonies include present-day cities like
Empries (from the Greek word 'emporion'), Malaga (from the
Phoenician word 'malaka' for salt, as fish was salted in the
harbour), and the city of Alicante, originally named in Greek Akra
Leuka (ie, white bay). Phoenicians from the African city of Carthage
(Carthaginians) briefly took control of much of the Mediterranean
coast in the course of the Punic Wars until they were eventually
defeated and replaced by the Romans.[6] Cartaginians created
important cities in the Mediterranean litoral, including 'Cartago
nova' or 'New Carthage' (present-day Cartagena) and a city in the
northeast founded by Hannibal's father Hamilcar Barca. Hamilcar
named the city Barcino, after his family; the city is present day
Barcelona.
Hispania
During the Second Punic War, an expanding Roman Empire captured
Carthaginian trading colonies along the Mediterranean coast (from
roughly 210 BC to 205 BC), leading to eventual Roman control of
nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula - a control which lasted over
500 years, bound together by law, language, and the Roman road.[7]
The base Celt and Iberian population remained in various stages of
Romanisation, [8] and local leaders were admitted into the Roman
aristocratic class.
The Romans improved existing cities, such as Lisbon (Olissis bona or
'good for Ulysses') and Tarragona (Tarraco), and established
Zaragoza (Caesaraugusta), Mrida (Augusta Emerita), Valencia (Valentia),
Len ("Legio Septima"), Badajoz ("Pax Augusta"), and Palencia (?a??a?t?a,
"Pallas Ateneia").[9] The peninsula's economy expanded under Roman
tutelage. Hispania served as a granary for the Roman market, and its
harbors exported gold, wool, olive oil, and wine. Agricultural
production increased with the introduction of irrigation projects,
some of which remain in use. Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and
Theodosius I, and the philosopher Seneca were born in Hispania.[10]
Christianity was introduced into Hispania in the first century CE
and it became popular in the cities in the second century CE.[6]
Most of Spain's present languages and religion, and the basis of its
laws, originate from this period.
The first Germanic barbarians to invade Hispania arrived in the 5th
century, as the Roman empire decayed. The Visigoths, Suebi,
Vandals and Alans arrived in Spain by crossing the Pyrenees mountain
range. The romanised Visigoths entered Hispania in 415. After
the conversion of their monarchy to Roman Catholicism, the
Visigothic Kingdom eventually encompassed a great part of the
Iberian Peninsula after conquering the disordered Suebic territories
in the northwest and Byzantine territories in the southeast.
Al-Andalus
In the 8th century, nearly all the Iberian peninsula was quickly
conquered (711-718) by mainly Berber Muslims (see Moors) from North
Africa. These conquests were part of the expansion of the Islamic
Umayyad Empire.[12] Only a number of areas in the mountains to the
north of the Iberian Peninsula managed to cling to their
independence, occupying the areas roughly corresponding to modern
Asturias, Navarra and Aragon.
Interior of the Mezquita in Crdoba, a Muslim mosque until the
Reconquest, after which it became a Christian cathedral
Interior of the Mezquita in Crdoba, a Muslim mosque until the
Reconquest, after which it became a Christian cathedral
Under Islam, Christians and Jews were recognised as "peoples of the
book", and were free to practice their religion, but faced some
mandatory sanctions as dhimmis.[13][14][15] Conversion to Islam
proceeded at a steadily increasing pace, with conversions among both
the christian aristocracy and slaves alike, as it circumvented the
limitations of dhimmi status, as well as pre-existing Christian
social limitations. With the mass conversions in the 10th and 11th
centuries Muslims are believed to have come to outnumber Christians
in Al-Andalus.
The Muslim community in Spain was itself diverse and beset by social
tensions. The Berber people of North Africa, who had provided the
bulk of the invading armies, clashed with the Arab leadership from
the Middle East.[17] Over time, large Moorish populations became
established, especially in the Guadalquivir River valley, the
coastal plain of Valencia, and (towards the end of this period) in
the mountainous region of Granada.
Crdoba, Muslim Spain's capital, was the largest, richest and most
sophisticated city of medieval Europe.[18] Mediterranean trade and
cultural exchange flourished. Muslims imported a rich intellectual
tradition from the Middle East and North Africa. Muslim and Jewish
scholars played a great part in reviving and expanding classical
Greek learning in Western Europe. Spain's romanised cultures
interacted with Muslim and Jewish cultures in complex ways, thus
giving Spain a distinctive culture.[16] Outside the cities, where
the vast majority lived, the land ownership system from Roman times
remained largely intact as Muslim leaders rarely dispossessed
landowners, and the introduction of new crops and techniques led to
a remarkable expansion of agriculture.
However, by the 11th century, Muslim holdings had fractured into
rival Taifa kingdoms, allowing the small Christian states the
opportunity to greatly enlarge their territories and consolidate
their positions.[16] The arrival of the North African Muslim ruling
sects of the Almoravids and the Almohads restored unity upon Muslim
holdings, with a stricter, less tolerant application of Islam, but
ultimately, after some successes in invading the north, proved
unable to resist the increasing military strength of the Christian
states.[6]
Reconquista
The term Reconquista ("Reconquest") is used to describe the
centuries-long period of expansion of Spain's Christian kingdoms;
the Reconquista is viewed as beginning after the battle of Covadonga
in 722. The Christian army victory over the Muslim forces lead to
the creation of the Christian Kingdom of Asturias. Muslim armies had
also moved north of the Pyrenees, but they were defeated at the
battle of Poitiers in France. Subsequently, they retreated to more
secure positions south of the Pyrenees with a frontier marked by the
Ebro and Duero rivers in Spain. In the following years Christian
armies moved to occupy and colonized the vacant areas. As early as
739, Muslim forces left Galicia, which was to host one of medieval
Christianity's holiest sites, Santiago de Compostela. A little later
Frankish forces established Christian counties south of the
Pyrenees; these areas were to grow into kingdoms, in the north-east
and the western part of the Pyrenees. These territories included
Navarre, Aragon and Catalonia.
The breakup of Al-Andalus into the competing Taifa kingdoms helped
the expanding Christian kingdoms, namely Castille that would become
the main driving force in the Reconquista. The capture of the
central city of Toledo in 1085 largely completed the reconquest of
the northern half of Spain. [20] After a Muslim resurgence in the
12th century, the great Moorish strongholds in the south fell to
Christian Spain in the 13th centuryCrdoba in 1236 and Seville in
1248leaving only the Muslim enclave of Granada as a tributary state
in the south.[21] Also in the 13th century, the kingdom of
Aragn, still ruled by the Catalan count of Barcelona, expanded its
reach across the Mediterranean to Sicily.
In 1469, the crowns of the Christian kingdoms of Castile and Aragn
were united (even though both kingdoms kept a high degree of
political and economical independence) by the marriage of Isabella
and Ferdinand. In 1478 began the final stage of the conquest of
Canary Islands and in 1492, these united kingdoms captured Granada,
ending the last remnant of a 781-year presence of Islamic rule on
the Iberian Peninsula.[23] The year 1492 also marked the arrival in
the New World of Christopher Columbus, during a voyage funded by
Isabella. That same year, Spain's Jews were ordered to convert into
the Christian religion or face expulsion from Spanish territories;
expelled[24] during the Spanish Inquisition.[25]
As Renaissance New Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand centralised
royal power at the expense of local nobility, and the word Espaa -
whose root is the ancient name "Hispania" - began to be used to
designate the whole of the two kingdoms.[25] With their wide-ranging
political, legal, religious and military reforms, Spain emerged as a
world great power.
Imperial Spain
Habsburg Spain and Enlightenment Spain
The unification of the kingdoms of Aragn, Castile, Len, and
Navarre laid the basis for modern Spain and the Spanish Empire.
Spain became Europe's leading power throughout the 16th century and
most of the 17th century, a position later reinforced by trade and
wealth from colonial possessions. Spain reached its apogee during
the reigns of the first two Spanish Habsburgs (Charles I (1516-1556)
and Philip II (1556-1598)). Included in this period are the Italian
Wars, the Dutch revolt, clashes with the Ottomans, the Anglo-Spanish
war and war with France.
The Spanish Empire expanded to include nearly all of South and
Central America, Mexico, southern and western portions of today's
United States, the Philippines, Guam and the Mariana Islands in
Eastern Asia, the Iberian peninsula (including the Portuguese empire
(from 1580)), southern Italy, Sicily, cities in Northern Africa, as
well as parts of modern Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the
Netherlands. It was the first empire about which it was said that
the sun did not set. This was an age of discovery, with daring
explorations by sea and by land, the opening up of new trade routes
across oceans, conquests and the beginning of European colonial
exploitation. Along with the arrival of precious metals, spices,
luxuries, and new agricultural plants, Spanish explorers and others
brought back knowledge, playing a leading part in transforming the
European understanding of the world.
Of note was the cultural efflorescence now known as the Spanish
Golden Age and the intellectual movement known as the School of
Salamanca.
In the 16th and 17th centuries Spain was confronted by unrelenting
challenges from all sides. In the early 16th century Barbary pirates
under the aegis of the rapidly growing Ottoman empire, disrupted
life in many coastal areas through their slave raids and renewed the
threat of an Islamic invasion.[28] This at a time when Spain was
often at war with France in Italy and elsewhere. Later the
Protestant Reformation schism from the Catholic Church dragged the
kingdom ever more into the mire of religiously charged wars. The
result was a country forced into ever expanding military efforts
across Europe and in the Mediterranean.
By the middle decades of a war-ridden mid-17th century Europe, the
effects of the strain began to show. The Spanish Habsburgs had
enmeshed the country in the continent wide religious-political
conflicts. These conflicts drained it of resources and undermined
the European economy generally. Spain managed to hold on to the
majority of the scattered Habsburg empire, and help the Imperial
forces of the Holy Roman Empire reverse a large part of the advances
made by Protestant forces, but it was finally forced to recognise
the independence of Portugal - with its empire - and the
Netherlands, and eventually began to surrender territories to France
after the immensely destructive, Europe-wide Thirty Years War.[29]
From the 1640s Spain went into a gradual but seemingly irreversible
decline for the remainder of the century, however it was able to
maintain and enlarge its vast overseas empire which remained intact
until the 19th century.
Controversy over succession to the throne consumed the first years
of the 18th century. The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), a
wide ranging international conflict combined with a civil war, cost
Spain its European possessions and its position as one of the
leading powers on the Continent (although it retained its overseas
territories).
During this war, a new dynastythe French Bourbonswas installed.
Long united only by the Crown, a true Spanish state was established
when the first Bourbon king Philip V of Spain united Castile and
Aragon into a single state, abolishing many of the regional
privileges (fueros).
The 18th century saw a gradual recovery and some increase in
prosperity through much of the empire. The new Bourbon monarchy drew
on the French system of modernising the administration and the
economy. Enlightenment ideas began to gain ground among some of the
kingdom's elite and monarchy. Towards the end of the century trade
finally began growing strongly. Military assistance for the
rebellious British colonies in the American War of Independence
improved Spain's international standing.
Napoleonic rule and its consequences
In 1793, Spain went to war against the new French Republic, which
had overthrown and executed its Bourbon king, Louis XVI. The war
polarised the country in an apparent reaction against the gallicised
elites. Defeated in the field, Spain made peace with France in 1795
and effectively became a client state of that country; the following
year, it declared war against Britain and Portugal. A disastrous
economic situation, along with other factors, led to the abdication
of the Spanish king in favour of Napoleon's brother, Joseph
Bonaparte.
This new foreign monarch was regarded with scorn. On May 2, 1808,
the people of Madrid began a nationalist uprising against the French
army, marking the beginning of what is known to the Spanish as the
War of Independence, and to the English as the Peninsular War.
Napoleon was forced to intervene personally, defeating the Spanish
army and Anglo-Portuguese forces. However, further military action
by Spanish guerrillas and Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army,
combined with Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, led to the
ousting of the French from Spain in 1814, and the return of King
Ferdinand VII.
The French invasion proved disastrous for Spain's economy, and left
a deeply divided country that was prone to political instability for
more than a century. The power struggles of the early 19th century
led to the loss of all of Spain's colonies in Latin America, with
the exception of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
Amid the instability and economic crisis that afflicted Spain in the
19th century there arose nationalist movements in the Philippines
and Cuba. Wars of independence ensued in those colonies and
eventually the United States became involved. Although Spanish
military units won respect from American soldiers they fought, for
their bravery and skill, the Spanish-American war of 1898 was so
badly mismanaged by the highest levels of command and government
that it was soon over. "El Desastre", as the war became known in
Spain, helped give impetus to the Generation of 98 who were already
conducting much critical analysis concerning the country. It also
weakened the stability that had been established during Alfonso
XII's reign.
The Twentieth Century
The 20th century brought little peace; Spain played a minor part in
the scramble for Africa, with the colonisation of Western Sahara,
Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea. The heavy losses suffered
during the Rif war in Morocco helped to undermine the monarchy. A
period of authoritarian rule under General Miguel Primo de Rivera
(1923-1931) ended with the establishment of the Second Spanish
Republic. The Republic offered political autonomy to the Basque
Country, Catalonia and Galicia and gave voting rights to women.
The bitterly fought Spanish Civil War (1936-39) ensued. Three years
later the Nationalist forces, led by General Francisco Franco,
emerged victorious with the support of Germany and Italy. The
Republican side was supported by the Soviet Union and Mexico, but it
was not supported by the Western powers due to the British-led
policy of Non-Intervention. The Spanish Civil War has been called
the first battle of the Second World War; under Franco, Spain was
neutral in the Second World War though sympathetic to the Axis.
The only legal party under Franco's regime was the Falange espaola
tradicionalista y de las JONS, formed in 1937; the party emphasised
anti-Communism, Catholicism and nationalism.
After World War II, Spain was politically and economically isolated,
and was kept out of the United Nations until 1955, when due to the
Cold War it became strategically important for the U.S. to foment a
military presence on the Iberian peninsula, next to the
Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, in order to protect
Southern Europe. In the 1960s, Spain registered an unprecedented
economic growth in what was called the Spanish miracle, which
gradually transformed it into a modern industrial economy with a
thriving tourism sector and a high degree of human development.
Upon the death of General Franco in November 1975, Prince Juan
Carlos assumed the position of king and head of state. With the
approval of the new Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of
democracy, political autonomy were established. In the Basque
Country, moderate Basque nationalism coexisted with a radical
nationalism supportive of the terrorist group ETA.
On February 23, 1981, rebel elements among the security forces
seized the Cortes and tried to impose a military-backed government.
However, the great majority of the military forces remained loyal to
King Juan Carlos, who used his personal authority and addressed the
usupers via national TV as commander in chief to put down the
bloodless coup attempt.
In 1982, the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) came to power,
which represented the return to power of a leftist party after 43
years. In 1986, Spain joined the European Community (which was to
become the European Union). The PSOE was replaced by the PP after
the latter won the 1996 General Elections; at that point the PSOE
had served almost 14 consecutive years in office.
The Government of Spain has been involved in a long-running campaign
against the terrorist organization ETA ("Basque Fatherland and
Liberty"), founded in 1959 in opposition to Franco and dedicated to
promoting Basque independence through violent means. They consider
themselves a guerrilla organisation while they are listed as a
terrorist organisation by both the European Union and the United
States on their respective watchlists. The current nationalist-led
Basque Autonomous government does not endorse ETA's nationalist
violence, which has caused over 800 deaths in the past 40 years.
21st century
On January 1, 2002, Spain terminated its historic peseta currency
and replaced it with the euro, which has become its national
currency shared with 13 other countries from the Eurozone. This
culminated in an initial period of growth and economic
consolidation, [34] which has maintained the years of strong economic
growth, but concerns are growing that the extravagant property boom
and high foreign trade deficits of recent years could bring this to
an end.[35]
On March 11, 2004, a series of bombs exploded in commuter trains in
Madrid, Spain. This act of terror (later claimed by Al Quaeda)
killed 191 people and wounded 1, 460 more, besides possibly affected
national elections scheduled for March 14, three days after the
attack, which was, arguably, the main goal of the terrorists. The
Madrid train bombings had an adverse effect on the image of the
then-ruling conservative party Partido Popular (PP) which polls had
indicated was likely to win the elections. Reversely, it helped the
election of Zapatero's Partido Socialista Obrero Espaol (PSOE).
Following the bombings, there were two nights of incidents around
the PP headquarters, with the PSOE and other political parties
accusing the PP of hiding the truth by saying that the incidents
were caused by ETA even though new evidence that pointed to an
Islamic attack started appearing. These incidents are still a cause
of discussion, since some factions of the PP suggest that the
elections were "stolen" by means of the turmoil which followed the
terrorist bombing, which was, according to this point of view,
backed by the PSOE.
March 14, 2004, three days after the bombings, saw the PSOE party
elected into government, with Rodrguez Zapatero becoming the new
Presidente del Gobierno or prime minister of Spain thus replacing
the former PP administration.
Politics
Politics of Spain
Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch and a
bicameral parliament, the Cortes Generales. The executive branch
consists of a Council of Ministers presided over by the President of
Government (comparable to a prime minister), proposed by the monarch
and elected by the National Assembly following legislative
elections.
The legislative branch is made up of the Congress of Deputies (Congreso
de los Diputados) with 350 members, elected by popular vote on block
lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms, and a
Senate or Senado with 259 seats of which 208 are directly elected by
popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures
to also serve four-year terms.
The Spanish nation is organizationally composed in the form of a
State of Autonomies; it is one of the most decentralised countries
in Europe, after Switzerland, Germany and Belgium; [36][37][38] for
example, all territories manage their own health and education
systems, and other territories (the Basque Country and Navarre)
manage their own public finances. In Catalonia and the Basque
Country, an autonomous police corps replaces some of the State
police functions (see Mossos d'Esquadra and Ertzaintza).
Spanish Constitution
Spanish Constitution of 1978
The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish
transition to democracy.
The constitutional history of Spain dates back to the constitution
of 1812. After the death of Francisco Franco in 1975, a general
election in 1977 convened the Constituent Cortes (the Spanish
Parliament, in its capacity as a constitutional assembly) for the
purpose of drafting and approving the constitution of 1978.
As a result, Spain is now composed of 17 Autonomous Communities and
two autonomous cities with varying degrees of autonomy thanks to its
Constitution, which nevertheless explicitly states the indivisible
unity of the Spanish nation.[39]
Foreign relations of Spain
After the return of democracy following the death of Franco in 1975,
Spain's foreign policy priorities were to break out of the
diplomatic isolation of the Franco years and expand diplomatic
relations, enter the European Community, and define security
relations with the West.
As a member of NATO since 1982, Spain has established itself as a
major participant in multilateral international security activities.
Spain's EU membership represents an important part of its foreign
policy. Even on many international issues beyond western Europe,
Spain prefers to coordinate its efforts with its EU partners through
the European political cooperation mechanisms.
With the normalization of diplomatic relations with North Korea in
2001, Spain completed the process of universalizing its diplomatic
relations.
Spain has maintained its special identification with Latin America.
Its policy emphasizes the concept of an Iberoamerican community,
essentially the renewal of the historically liberal concept of
hispanoamericanismo (or hispanism as it is often referred to in
English), which has sought to link the Iberian peninsula with Latin
America through language, commerce, history and culture. Spain has
been an effective example of transition from dictatorship to
democracy, as shown in the many trips that Spain's King and Prime
Ministers have made to the region.
Territorial disputes
Territory claimed by Spain
There is a territorial dispute with United Kingdom over the Pen de
Gibraltar (a 6 square km. territory in the southernmost part of
Spain) which was occupied during the War of the Spanish Succession
in the early XVIII century, along with the Spanish island of Menorca
(which had also been invaded but was reconquered in 1782 and finally
ceded back to Spain in 1802 by the Treaty of Amiens).
The legal situation was regularized in 1713 by the Treaty of
Utrecht, in which Spain permanently ceded to the United Kingdom the
territories of Gibraltar and the island of Menorca.
Gibraltar has become a small but strategic enclave as it is
positioned in the Strait of Gibraltar, the union of the
Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.
Under United Nations' regulations, Gibraltar is considered a colony
and a "Non-self-governing territory" and as such its status is
debated by the Special Committee on Decolonization.
Historically Spain has called for the return of Gibraltar, but its
current inhabitants consistently refuse to be decolonized and ceded
back to Spain. A referendum was held in the colony, where the
majority of Gibraltarians rejected the union with Spain. UN
resolutions call on the United Kingdom and Spain, both EU members,
to reach an agreement over the status of Gibraltar.
Spanish territories claimed by other countries
Morocco claims the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and some
isles plazas de soberana off the northern coast of Africa. Portugal
does not recognise Spain's sovereignty over the territory of
Olivena / Olivenza.
Administrative divisions
Galicia
Navarre
Madrid
La Rioja
Aragon
Catalonia
Valencia
Castilla
La Mancha
Extremadura
Portugal
Castilla
y Len
Asturias
Cantabria
Basque Country
Murcia
Andalusia
Ceuta
Melilla
France
Balearic
Islands
Canary
Islands
Mediterranean Sea
Bay of Biscay
Atlantic
Ocean
Andorra
Atlantic
Ocean
Autonomous communities of Spain and Provinces of
Spain
Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities (comunidades
autnomas) and 2 autonomous cities (ciudades autnomas) - Ceuta and
Melilla. These autonomous communities are subdivided into 50
provinces (provincias).
Historically, some provinces are also divided into comarcas (roughly
equivalent to a US "county" or an English district). The lowest
administrative division of Spain is the municipality (municipio).
See also: Comarcas of Spain and List of municipalities of Spain
Geography
Geography of Spain
At 194, 884 mi (504, 782 km), Spain is the world's 51st-largest
country. It is comparable in size to Turkmenistan, and is somewhat
larger than the U.S. state of California.
On the west, Spain borders Portugal, on the south, it borders
Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) and Morocco, through its
cities in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla). On the northeast, along
the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny
principality of Andorra. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in
the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and
a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the
strait of Gibraltar, known as Plazas de soberana, such as the
Chafarine islands, the isle of Alborn, the "rocks" (peones) of
Vlez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Isla Perejil. In the northeast
along the Pyrenees, a small exclave town called Llvia in Catalonia
is surrounded by French territory.
Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges,
such as the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several
major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and
the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the
largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia.
Due to Spain's geographical situation and orographic conditions, the
climate is extremely diverse; it can be roughly divided in three
areas:
* The moderate Continental climate takes place in the inland areas
of the Peninsula (largest city, Madrid).
* The Mediterranean climate region, which roughly extends from the
Andalusian plain along the southern and eastern coasts up to the
Pyrenees, on the seaward side of the mountain ranges that run near
the coast (largest city, Barcelona).
* An Oceanic climate takes place in Galicia and the coastal strip by
the Bay of Biscay (largest city, Bilbao). This area is often called
Green Spain.
Military of Spain
Spanish Armed Forces
The armed forces of Spain are known as the Spanish Armed Forces
(Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Espaolas). Their Commander-in-Chief is
the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I.
The Spanish Armed Forces are divided into four branches:
* Army (Ejrcito de Tierra)
* Navy (Armada)
* Air Force (Ejrcito del Aire)
* Guardia Civil (Military police) which serves for the most part as
a rural and general purpose police force.
Economy
Economy of Spain
According to the World Bank, Spain's economy is the ninth largest
worldwide and the fifth largest in Europe. As of 2006, absolute GDP
was valued at $1.084 trillion according to the CIA Factbook, (see
List of countries by GDP (nominal)). The per capita PPP is estimated
at $27, 400 (2006), trailing the major industrialized nations of the
G7 and placing Spain at 13th in the European Union.
The centre-right government of former prime minister Jos Mara
Aznar worked successfully to gain admission to the group of
countries launching the euro in 1999. Unemployment stood at 7.6% in
October 2006, a rate that compares favorably to many other European
countries, and which is a marked improvement over rates that
exceeded 20% in the early 1990s. Perennial weak points of Spain's
economy include high inflation, [42] a large underground economy, [43]
and an education system which OECD reports place among the poorest
for developed countries, together with the United States and UK.[44]
Nevertheless, it is expected that the Spanish economy will continue
growing based on the strengthening of industry, the growth of the
global economy and increasing trade with Latin America and Asia.
The Spanish economy is credited for having avoided the virtual zero
growth rate of some of its largest partners in the EU.[45] In fact,
the country's economy has created more than half of all the new jobs
in the European Union over the five years ending 2005.[46] The
Spanish economy has thus been regarded lately as one of the most
dynamic within the EU, attracting significant amounts of foreign
investment.[47] During the last four decades the Spanish tourism
industry has grown to become the second biggest in the world, [48]
worth approximately 40 billion Euros in 2006[49] More recently, the
Spanish economy has benefited greatly from the global real estate
boom, with construction representing 16% of GDP and 12% of
employment.[48] According to calculations by the German newspaper
Die Welt, Spain is on pace to overtake countries like Germany in per
capita income by 2011.[50] However, the downside of the real estate
boom has been a corresponding rise in the levels of personal debt;
as prospective homeowners struggle to meet asking prices, the
average level of household debt has tripled in less than a decade.
Among lower income groups, the median ratio of indebtedness to
income was 125% in 2005.[51]
Demography of Spain
In 2007 Spain officially reached 45 million people[52][53]
registered at the Padrn municipal, an official record analogous to
the British Register office. Spain's population density, at 87.8/km
(220/sq. mile), is lower than that of most Western European
countries and its distribution along the country is very unequal.
With the exception of the region surrounding the capital, Madrid,
the most populated areas lie around the coast.
The population of Spain doubled during the twentieth century, due to
the spectacular demographic boom by the 60's and early 70's. The
pattern of growth was extremely uneven due to large-scale internal
migration from the rural interior to the industrial cities during
the 60's and 70's. No fewer than eleven of Spain's fifty provinces
saw an absolute decline in population over the century. Then, after
the birth rate plunged in the 80's and Spain's population became
stalled, a new population increase started based initially in the
return of many Spanish who emigrated to other European countries
during the 70's and, more recently, it has been boosted by the large
figures of foreign immigrants, mostly from Latin America (38.75%),
Eastern Europe (16.33%), North Africa (14.99%) and Sub-Saharan
Africa (4.08%).[54] In 2005, Spain instituted a 3-month amnesty
program through which certain hitherto undocumented aliens were
granted legal residency. Also some important pockets of population
coming from other countries in the European Union are found (20.77%
of the foreign residents), specially along the Mediterranean costas
and Balearic islands, where many choose to live their retirement or
even telework. These are mostly English, French, German, and Dutch
from fellow EU countries and, from outside the EU, Norwegian.
Immigration to Spain
According to the Spanish government there were 3.7 million foreign
residents in Spain in 2005; independent estimates put the figure at
4.8 million people, or 11% of the total population (Red Cross, World
Disasters Report 2006). According to residence permit data for 2005,
about 500, 000 were Moroccan, another 500, 000 were Ecuadorian, more
than 200, 000 were Romanian, and 260, 000 were Colombian. Other
important foreign communities are British (8.09%), French (8.03%),
Argentine (6.10%), German (5.58%) and Bolivian (2.63%). In 2005, a
regularisation programme increased the legal immigrant population by
700, 000 people. Since 2000, Spain has experienced high population
growth as a result of immigration flows, despite a birth rate that
is only half the replacement level. This sudden and ongoing inflow
of immigrants, particularly those arriving clandestinely by sea, has
caused noticeable social tension.[55][56][57][58][59]
Based on 2004 figures [60], within the EU Spain has the second
highest immigration rate in percentage terms (after Cyprus), but by
a great margin the highest in actual numbers of immigrants.
There are a number of reasons to explain the high level of
immigration, including Spain's cultural ties with Latin America, its
geographical position, the porosity of its borders, the large size
of its underground economy and the strength of the agricultural and
construction sectors which demand more low cost labour than can be
offered by the national workforce. Another statistically significant
factor is the large number of residents of EU origin typically
retiring to Spain's Mediterranean coast. In fact, Spain has been
Europe's largest absorber of migrants for the past six years, with
its immigrant population increasing fourfold as 2.8 million people
have arrived. According to the Financial Times, Spain is the most
favoured destination for West Europeans considering a move from
their own country and seeking jobs elsewhere in the EU.[2] (see
Immigration to Spain).
Minority groups
Spain has a number of descendants of populations from former
colonies (especially Equatorial Guinea) and immigrants from several
Sub-Saharan and Caribbean countries have been recently settling in
Spain. There are also sizeable numbers of Asian immigrants, most of
whom are of Chinese, Filipino, Middle Eastern, Pakistani and Indian
origins; the population of Spaniards of Latin American descent is
sizeable as well and a fast growing segment. Other growing groups
are Britons (761, 000 in 2006), Germans and other immigrants from
western and Eastern Europe.[61]
Jewish emigration to Spain is primarily the result of three events:
after the 19th century, some Jews established themselves in Spain as
a result of migration from what was formerly Spanish Morocco, the
flight of Jews escaping from Nazi repression, and immigration from
Argentina. Spanish law allows Sephardi Jews to claim Spanish
citizenship.
The arrival of the Gitanos (Gypsies), a Roma people group, began in
the 16th century.
Most populous Urban Regions
1. Madrid 5, 943, 041
2. Barcelona 5, 327, 872
3. Valencia 1, 623, 724
4. Sevilla 1, 317, 098
5. Mlaga 1, 074, 074
6. Bilbao 946, 829
Identities -
Peoples
Spanish people and Nationalisms and regionalisms of
Spain
The Spanish Constitution of 1978, in its second article, recognises
historic entities ("nationalities", a carefully chosen word in order
to avoid the more politically charged "nations") and regions, within
the context of the Spanish nation. For some people, Spain's identity
consists more of an overlap of different regional identities than of
a sole Spanish identity. Indeed, some of the regional identities may
even conflict with the Spanish one.
It is this last feature of "shared identity" between the more local
level or Autonomous Community and the Spanish level which makes the
identity question in Spain complex and far from univocal.
Languages of Spain
The languages of Spain (simplified) Spanish, official, spoken in all
the territory Catalan, co-official, except in La Franja and Carxe
Basque, co-official, in Basque Country and Navarre Galician,
co-official, except in Asturies and Castile and Leon Asturian,
unofficial, but adopted as co-official in some municipalities of
Asturies Aragonese, unofficial Aranese, co-official (dialect of
Occitan)
The languages of Spain (simplified)
Spanish, official, spoken in all the territory Catalan, co-official,
except in La Franja and Carxe Basque, co-official, in Basque Country
and Navarre Galician, co-official, except in Asturies and Castile
and Leon Asturian, unofficial, but adopted as co-official in some
municipalities of Asturies[62] Aragonese, unofficial Aranese,
co-official (dialect of Occitan)
"Castilian", universally known to non-Spanish speakers as "Spanish"
(while called both espaol and castellano in the language itself) is
the official language throughout Spain, but other regional languages
are also spoken, and are the primary languages in some of their
respective regions. The following languages are,
in the territories where they are spoken, co-official with Spanish
according to the respective Autonomy Statutes.
* Aranese (arans) (Occitan)
* Asturian (asturianu), which has more unofficial dialects such as
Astur-Leonese in Len and Zamora provinces.
Note: Asturian is not co-official in Asturies, but the Statute of
Autonomy of the Principality of Asturias promote its use, [63] and
some municipalities of Asturies have declared themselves as
bilingual, such as the city of Gijn, which changed its name to
Gijn/Xixn.[64][65]
* Basque (euskera).
* Catalan (catal), which is known as Valencian in the Autonomous
Community of Valencia.
* Galician (galego).
There are also some other surviving Romance minority languages such
as Astur-Leonese, Leonese, Extremaduran, Cantabrian, Aragonese, and
others. Unlike Aranese, Basque, Catalan/Valencian and Galician,
these do not have any official status because of their very small
number of speakers or because of lack of political will in the
regions in which they are spoken.
In the tourist areas of the Mediterranean coast and the islands,
English and German are widely spoken by tourists, foreign residents,
and tourism workers.
Religion in Spain
Although Chapter 2 of the Constitution states that no religion shall
have a state character, Roman Catholicism is the main religion in
the country. About 76% of Spaniards identify themselves as
Catholics, about 2% identify with another religious faith, and about
19% identify themselves as non-religious. A study conducted in
October 2006 by the Spanish Centre of Sociological
Investigations[67] shows that of the 76% of Spaniards who identify
themselves as Catholics or with another religious faith, 54% hardly
ever or never go to church, 15% go to church a few times per year,
10% a few times per month and 19% attend church every Sunday or
multiple times per week. About 22% of the entire Spanish population
attends religious services at least once per month.
Evidence of the secular nature of contemporary Spain can be seen in
the widespread support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in
Spain over 66% of Spaniards support gay marriage according to a
2004 study by the Centre of Sociological Investigations.[68] Indeed,
in June 2005 a bill was passed by 187 votes to 147 to allow gay
marriage, making Spain the third country in the European Union to
allow same-sex couples to marry after Belgium and the Netherlands.
Protestant denominations are also present, all of them with less
than 50, 000 members. Evangelism has been better received among
Gypsies than among the general population; pastors have integrated
flamenco music in their liturgy. Taken together, all self-described
"Evangelicals" slightly surpass Jehovah's Witnesses (105, 000) in
number. While not Protestants, about 35, 000 residents of Spain are
members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(Mormons).
The recent waves of immigration have led to an increasing number of
Muslims, who have about 1 million members. Muslims had not lived in
Spain for centuries; however, colonial expansion in Northern and
Western Africa gave some number of residents in the Spanish Morocco
and the Sahara Occidental full citizenship. Presently, Islam is the
second largest religion in Spain, accounting for approximately 2.5%
of the total population.
Along with these waves of immigration, a significant number of Latin
American people, who tend to be strong Catholic practitioners, have
helped the Catholic Church to recover.
Judaism was practically non-existent until the 19th century, when
Jews were again permitted to enter the country. Currently there are
around 50, 000 Jews in Spain, all arrivals in the past century and
accounting for less than 1% of the total number of inhabitants.
Spain is believed to have been about 8% Jewish on the eve of the
Spanish Inquisition.[citation needed]
Culture of Spain and UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
Spain
Spain is known for its culturally diverse heritage, having been
influenced by many nations and peoples throughout its history.
Spanish culture has its origins in the Celtiberian, Latin,
Visigothic, Roman Catholic, and Islamic cultures. The definition of
a national Spanish culture has been characterized by tension between
the centralized state (dominated in recent centuries by Castile) and
numerous regions and minority peoples. In addition, the history of
the nation and its Mediterranean and Atlantic environment have
played strong roles in shaping its culture.
After Italy, Spain is the country with the second highest number of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, with a total of 40.
Education in Spain
State Education in Spain is free and compulsory from the age of 6 to
16. The current education system is called LOGSE (Ley de Ordenacin
General del Sistema Educativo).
Spanish Academy
The Real Academia Espaola (Spanish for "Royal Spanish Academy";
RAE) is the institution responsible for regulating the Spanish
language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, but is affiliated with
national language academies in 21 Spanish-speaking nations through
the Association of Spanish Language Academies. Its emblem is a fiery
crucible, and its motto is Limpia, fija y da esplendor ("It cleans,
sets, and gives splendor").
Spanish art
Spanish art is an important and influential type of art in Europe.
Spanish art is the name given to the artistic disciplines and works
developed in Spain throughout time, and those by Spanish authors
world-wide. Due to historical, geographical and generational
diversity, Spanish art has known a great number of influences. The
Moorish heritage in Spain, especially in Andalusia, is still evident
today in cities like Crdoba, Seville, and Granada. European
influences include Italy, Germany and France, especially during the
Baroque and Neoclassical periods.
Spanish literature
Spanish literature is the name given to the literary works written
in Spain throughout time, and those by Spanish authors world-wide.
Due to historic, geographic and generational diversity, Spanish
literature has known a great number of influences and it is very
diverse. Some major movements can be identified within it.
Spanish architecture
Spanish architecture refers to architecture carried out during any
era in what is now modern-day Spain, and by Spanish architects
worldwide. The term includes buildings within the current
geographical limits of Spain before this name was given to those
territories (whether they were called Hispania, Al-Andalus, or were
formed of several Christian kingdoms). Due to its historical and
geographical diversity, Spanish architecture has drawn from a host
of influences.
For example, Cordoba was established as the cultural Capital of its
time under the Umayyad dynasty. Simultaneously, the Christian
kingdoms gradually emerged and developed their own styles, at first
mostly isolated from European architectural influences, and later
integrated into Romanesque and Gothic streams, they reached an
extraordinary peak with numerous samples along the whole territory.
The Mudjar style, from the 12th to 17th centuries, was
characterised by the blending of cultural European and Arabic
influences.
The arrival of Modernism in the academic arena produced figures such
as Gaud and much of the architecture of the twentieth century. The
International style was led by groups like GATEPAC. Spain is
currently experiencing a revolution in contemporary architecture and
Spanish architects like Rafael Moneo, Santiago Calatrava, Ricardo
Bofill as well as many others have gained worldwide renown.
Music of Spain
Spanish music is often considered abroad to be synonymous with
flamenco, an Andalusian musical genre, which, contrary to popular
belief, is not widespread outside that region. Various regional
styles of folk music abound in Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, Castile,
the Basque country, Galicia and Asturias. Pop, rock, hip hop and
heavy metal are also popular.
Cinema of Spain
In recent years, Spanish cinema has achieved high marks of
recognition as a result of its creative and technical excellence. In
the long history of Spanish cinema, the great filmmaker Luis Buuel
was the first to achieve universal recognition, followed by Pedro
Almodvar in the 1980s. Spanish cinema has also seen international
success over the years with films by directors like Segundo de
Chomn, Florin Rey, Luis Garca Berlanga, Carlos Saura, Julio Medem
and Alejandro Amenbar.
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a great variety of dishes which stem
from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily
influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the
country, and reflects the country's deep Mediterranean roots.
Spain's extensive history with many cultural influences has led to a
unique cuisine.
Sport in Spain
Sport in Spain has been traditionally dominated by football (soccer)
(since the early 20th century), cycling and bullfighting (since the
17th century). Today, Spain is a major world sports power,
especially since the 1992 Summer Olympics that were hosted in
Barcelona and promoted a great variety of sports in the country. The
tourism industry has led to an improvement in sports infrastructure,
especially for water sports, golf and skiing.
Public holidays in Spain
Public holidays celebrated in Spain include a mix of religious
(Roman Catholic), national and regional observances. Each
municipality is allowed to declare a maximum of 14 public holidays
per year; up to nine of these are chosen by the national government
and at least two are chosen locally. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
