Spain
Country Guide

Explore Spain

Spain with its capital Madrid is located in Europe (Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea). It covers some 505,371 square kilometers (almost five times the size of Kentucky) with a population of 48,958,200. Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque and Occitan are the languages spoken by people in Spain (consider regional differences). Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Morocco and Portugal are bordering countries.

Spain is a diverse country sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the country with the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy, and the largest number of World Heritage Cities.Spain is considered an exotic country in Europe due to its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities. Among many places worth visiting are Spain's thriving capital Madrid, the vibrant coastal city of Barcelona, the famous Running of the Bulls at Pamplona, major Andalusian cities with Islamic architecture, like Seville, Granada and Córdoba, the Way of St. James and the idyllic Balearic and Canary Islands.

Popular Destinations in Spain

Administrative regions of Spain

• Andalusia
• Aragon
• Balearic Islands
• Basque Country
• Canary Islands
• Cantabria
• Castille and Leon
• Castille-La Mancha
• Catalonia
• Ceuta
• Extremadura
• Galicia
• La Rioja
• Madrid
• Melilla
• Murcia
• Navarre
• Principality of Asturias
• Valencia

About the country

The terrain is large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills having Pyrenees Mountains in north. The average density of population is about 97 per km². The climate in Spain can be described as temperateclear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast, cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast. Possible natural disasters include periodic droughts, occasional flooding volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive his

To reach someone Spain dial +34 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".es". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Euro is EUR.

Three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century.

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 War 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) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently Spain has emerged from a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008, posting three straight years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen, but remains high especially among youth. Spain is the Eurozone’s fourth largest economy.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 53)	505,370	sq km
Land (World Rank: 51)	498,980	sq km
Water (World Rank: 62)	6,390	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 88)	20.10	%
Comparative	almost five times the size of Kentucky; slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Note	there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 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
Coastline
4964
Landborder
1952.7
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 50)	3,718	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 60)	54.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 42)	24.90	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 36)	9.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 88)	20.10	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 16)	38,000	sq km
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues	- air pollution - deforestation - desertification - pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas - water quality and quantity nationwide
Agreement party	- Air Pollution - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides - Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds - Antarctic Treaty - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources - Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Environmental Modification - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Marine Dumping - Marine Life Conservation - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Tropical Timber 83 - Tropical Timber 94 - Wetlands - Whaling
Agreement signed	Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Hazzards	- periodic droughts, occasional flooding - volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive his
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France
Climate
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Terrain
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 28)	48,958,200
Deathrate (World Rank: 64)	0.91	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 201)	0.92	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 133)	0.78	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 13)	0.78	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 195)	1.50	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 19)	41.50
Female (World Rank: 26)	43.90
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 51)	3,872,760
0 14 female (World Rank: 52)	3,656,550
15 24 male (World Rank: 50)	2,424,350
15 24 female (World Rank: 50)	2,267,430
25 54 male (World Rank: 27)	11,214,100
25 54 female (World Rank: 27)	10,775,000
55 64 male (World Rank: 21)	2,899,090
55 64 female (World Rank: 22)	3,044,110
65 x male (World Rank: 15)	3,763,990
65 x female (World Rank: 13)	5,040,740
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 207)	0.33	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 22)	82	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 14)	85	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 27)	79	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 19)	3.82
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 73)	3.10
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 19)	99.90	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 62)	23.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 23)	100.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 15)	267,100,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 16)	240,400,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 14)	14,180,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 9)	21,850,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 158)	45.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 123)	6.70	%
Source renew (World Rank: 15)	29.50	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 85)	2,667	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 8)	1,285,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 64)	150,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 13)	1,342,000	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 17)	1,287,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 15)	501,100	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 19)	421,000	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 84)	62,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 31)	39,840,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 30)	5,065,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 72)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
276000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 96)	4	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 123)	1	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 40)	9	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 139)	-5	% of GDP
National symbol
Pillars of Hercules
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Spanish
Noun
Spaniard(s)
Background
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 War 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) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently Spain has emerged from a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008, posting three straight years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen, but remains high especially among youth. Spain is the Eurozone’s fourth largest economy.
Flag description
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 16)	1,686,000,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 86)	3.20	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 50)	36,300	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 157)	2.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 124)	23.40	%
Source service (World Rank: 44)	74.10	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 27)	22,820,000
In poverty (World Rank: 104)	21.10	%
Products
Industries	- apparel including footwear - automobiles - beverages - chemicals - clay - food - footwear - machine tools - medical equipment - metal manufactures - metals - pharmaceuticals - refractory products - shipbuilding - textiles - tourism
Agriculture	- beef - citrus - dairy products - fish - grain - olives - pork - poultry - sugar beets - vegetables - wine grapes
Exports	- foodstuffs - machinery - medicines - motor vehicles - other consumer goods - pharmaceuticals
Imports	- chemicals - consumer goods - equipment - foodstuffs - fuels - machinery - measuring - medical control instruments - semi-finished goods

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 14)	19,557,100
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 38)	40.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 119)	107.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 17)	39,123,400
Population (World Rank: 40)	80.60	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 23)	99.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 59)	51.00
Heliports (World Rank: 20)	10.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 17)	16,102
Road
Total length (World Rank: 11)	683,175
Paved length (World Rank: 6)	683,175
Water
Total length (World Rank: 65)	1,000

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