World Facts Index > Spain > Barcelona, Bilbao, Caceres, Gran Canaria, Granada, Ibiza, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Palma De Mallorca, Salamanca, San Sebastian, Santander, Santiago De Compostela, Seville, Toledo, Valencia, Zaragoza
 Spain's
powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command
of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and
industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and
Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I
and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful
transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in
1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given
Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion
of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
terrorism, illegal immigration, and slowing economic growth.
Geography of Spain
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Location:
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Southwestern Europe,
bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean,
and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France |
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Coordinates:
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40 00 N, 4 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 504,782 sq km
water: 5,240 sq km
note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic
Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de
Velez de la Gomera
land: 499,542 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly more than twice
the size of Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2
km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km |
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Coastline:
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4,964 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic
Ocean)
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; clear, hot
summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold
winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast |
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Terrain:
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large, flat to dissected
plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal, lignite, iron ore,
uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten,
copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land |
|
Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts |
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Environment current issues:
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pollution of the
Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore
production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air
pollution; deforestation; desertification |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along
approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
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More Geography
Population of Spain
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Population:
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40,491,052 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426)
65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) |
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Median age:
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39.9 years |
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Growth rate:
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0.13% |
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Infant mortality:
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4.37 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.65 years
male: 76.32 years
female: 83.2 years |
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Fertility rate:
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1.28 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish |
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Ethnic groups:
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composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% |
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Languages:
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Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%,
Galician 7%, Basque 2%
note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are
official regionally |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.2%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of
Spain
local short form: Espana |
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Government type:
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parliamentary monarchy |
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Capital:
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Madrid |
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Administrative divisions:
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17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular
- comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities |
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Independence:
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the Iberian peninsula was characterized by
a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early
8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the
north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in
1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally
considered the forging of present-day Spain |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 12 October |
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Constitution:
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6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system, with regional
applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22
November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January
1968
head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose
Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and
Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April
2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro
SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of
the government, but its recommendations are non-binding
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election
last held on 9 and 11 April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice
presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president. |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las
Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly
elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve
four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo |
Economy
The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990 averaging 5% annual growth.
After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy
resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy
supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is equal to that of the leading West
European economies. The center-right government of former President Jose Maria
AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries
launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR
administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and
deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end.
Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at
7.6%. Growth averaging more than 3% annually during 2003-07 was satisfactory
given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president,
RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural
reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's economic
growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing significant downside
risks remain including Spain's continued loss of competitiveness, the
potential for a housing market collapse, the country's changing demographic
profile, and a decline in EU structural funds.
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GDP:
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$1.361 trillion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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3.4% |
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GDP per capita:
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$25,500 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 29.5%
services: 66.5% |
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Inflation rate:
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3.4% |
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Labor force:
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20.67 million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 5.3%
industry: 30.1%
services: 64.6% |
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Unemployment:
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9.2% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $440.9 billion
expenditures: $448.4 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 50.4%
hydro: 18.2%
other: 4.1%
nuclear: 27.2% |
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Industries:
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textiles and apparel (including footwear),
food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
machine tools, tourism |
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Agriculture:
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grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes,
sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish |
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Exports:
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machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs,
other consumer goods |
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Export partners:
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France 19.4%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.5%, UK 8.5%, Italy
8.4% |
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Imports:
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machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals,
semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods |
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Import partners:
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Germany 15%, France 14.4%, Italy 8.5%, UK 5.8%,
Netherlands 5%, China 4.3% |
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Currency:
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euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a
common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January
2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member
countries |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |