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 Introduction
Located in southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Portugal and France. The country covers a total area of 505,957 sq km. Spain has 4,964 km of coastline. Besides five other places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco, Spain consists of 17 administrative regions 15 of which are on mainland Spain. Spain occupies four-fifths of the Iberian peninsula and is a land of immense geographical diversity.It offers the tourist a great deal. Spain's coastline has long since been a magnet for visitors but in recent years more and more people are spending holiday time, exploring beautiful and cultural Spain, away from the sea and sand. Spain has everything from lush, green forests and mountain ranges, through to endless arid plains and long, sandy beaches.
Although Spain lies in the temperate zone, it's rugged topography gives rise to a great diversity of climates. What is known as rainy Spain, lies mainly to the north of the Cantabrian mountains. Here there are mild winters and cool summers with only a slight variation in temperature. This climate is typical of western Europe. To the south lies dry Spain which makes up two-thirds of Spain. Here there is scarce rainfall with almost constant, hot sun. When it does rain it is often heavy with fierce thunderstorms.
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Background:
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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). In
the second half of the 20th century, Spain has
played a catch-up role in the western international
community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing
concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.
[Top] |
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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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Geographic
coordinates:
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40 00 N, 4 00 W |
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Map
references:
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Europe |
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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 |
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Land
use:
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arable
land: 28.6%
permanent crops: 9.56%
other: 61.84% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated
land:
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36,400 sq km (1998 est.) |
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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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Environment
- international agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification |
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Geography
- note:
|
strategic location along approaches to Strait
of Gibraltar [Top]
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Population:
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40,217,413 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age
structure:
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0-14
years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female
13,626,121)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646;
female 4,113,097) (2003 est.) |
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Median
age:
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total:
38.7 years
male: 37.4 years
female: 40.1 years (2002) |
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Population
growth rate:
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0.16% (2003 est.) |
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Birth
rate:
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10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death
rate:
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9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net
migration rate:
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0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex
ratio:
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at
birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003
est.) |
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Infant
mortality rate:
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total:
4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003
est.)
male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life
expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.23 years
male: 75.87 years
female: 82.8 years (2003 est.) |
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Total
fertility rate:
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1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate:
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0.5% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
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130,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS
- deaths:
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2,300 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish |
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Ethnic
groups:
|
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 (official) 74%, Catalan 17%,
Galician 7%, Basque 2% |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.2% (2003 est.) [Top]
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Country
name:
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conventional
long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: 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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19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas,
singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon,
Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta,
Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La
Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad
Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid,
Melilla, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: three small Spanish possessions are
located off the coast of Morocco: Islas Chafarinas,
Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
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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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Hispanic 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 Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May
1996); First Vice President (and Minister of
Interior) Mariano Rajoy BREY (since 27 April
2000) and Second Vice President (and Minister
of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May
1996)
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
election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez
(PP) elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party
(PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats
in both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate
as a result of the March 2000 elections
elections: the monarch 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 12 March 2000 (next to be
held NA March 2004); 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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote
by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE 34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV
1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127,
PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%,
PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%,
BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU
15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5
elections: Senate - last held 12 March
2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); Congress
of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to
be held NA March 2004) |
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Judicial
branch:
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Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo |
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Political
parties and leaders:
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Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS
Antia]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition
of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO]; Convergence
and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary
general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence
of Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and
the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep
Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist
Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents
from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular
Party or PP [Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez]; Spanish
Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ
ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties
including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar
LLAMAZARES] |
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Political
pressure groups and leaders:
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business and landowning interests; Catholic Church;
free labor unions (authorized in April 1977);
Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and
the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union
or USO; university students; Workers Confederation
or CC.OO; Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again";
formed in response to the oil tanker Prestige
oil spill) |
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International
organization participation:
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AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic
representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ
chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20037
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
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Diplomatic
representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS
embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address: APO AE 09642
telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
consulate(s) general: Barcelona |
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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 includes the royal seal framed by the
Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories
(Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern
end of the Strait of Gibraltar [Top]
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Economy
- overview:
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Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP
that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the
four leading West European economies. Its center-right
government successfully worked to gain admission
to the first group of countries launching the
European single currency on 1 January 1999. The
AZNAR administration has continued to advocate
liberalization, privatization, and deregulation
of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms
to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling
under the AZNAR administration but remains high
at 11.3%. The government intends to make further
progress in changing labor laws and reforming
pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability
of both Spain's internal economic advances and
its competitiveness in a single currency area.
A general strike in mid-2002 reduced cooperation
between labor and government. Adjusting to the
monetary and other economic policies of an integrated
Europe - and further reducing unemployment - will
pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $828 billion (2002 est.)
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GDP
- real growth rate:
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2% (2002 est.) |
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GDP
- per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $20,700 (2002 est.)
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GDP
- composition by sector:
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agriculture:
4%
industry: 31%
services: 65% (2000 est.) |
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Population
below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household
income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1990) |
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Distribution
of family income - Gini index:
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32.5 (1990) |
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Inflation
rate (consumer prices):
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3%
(2002 est.) |
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Labor
force:
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17.1 million (2001) |
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Labor
force - by occupation:
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services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction
29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment
rate:
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11.3% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$105 billion
expenditures: $109 billion, including capital
expenditures of $12.8 billion (2000 est.) |
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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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Industrial
production growth rate:
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1.2% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity
- production:
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222.5 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity
- production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 50.4%
hydro: 18.2%
other: 4.2% (2001)
nuclear: 27.2% |
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Electricity
- consumption:
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210.4 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity
- exports:
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4.138 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity
- imports:
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7.588 billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil
- production:
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7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil
- consumption:
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1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil
- exports:
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135,100 bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil
- imports:
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1.582 million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil
- proved reserves:
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10.5 million bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural
gas - proved reserves:
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254.9 million cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture
- products:
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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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$122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports
- commodities:
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machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer
goods |
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Exports
- partners:
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EU 71.3% (France 19.5%, Germany 11.8%, Portugal
10.0%, Italy 9.0%, UK 8.9%), Latin America 6.1%,
US 4.4%, (2000) |
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Imports:
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$156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports
- commodities:
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machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished
goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997) |
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Imports
- partners:
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EU 63.9% (France 16.8%, Germany 15.5%, Italy 9.1%,
Benelux 7.3%, UK 7.0%), OPEC 7.3%, US 4.6%, Japan
2.5%, Latin America 4.2% (2000) |
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Debt
- external:
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$90 billion (1993 est.) |
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Economic
aid - donor:
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ODA, $1.33 billion (1999) |
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Currency:
|
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 |
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Currency
code:
|
EUR |
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Exchange
rates:
|
euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
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Fiscal
year:
|
calendar year [Top]
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Telephones
- main lines in use:
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17.336 million (1999) |
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Telephones
- mobile cellular:
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8.394 million (1999) |
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Telephone
system:
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general
assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic: NA
international: 22 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric
scatter to adjacent countries |
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Radio
broadcast stations:
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AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Television
broadcast stations:
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224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)
note: these figures include 11 television
broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary
Islands (1995) |
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Internet
country code:
|
.es |
|
Internet
Service Providers (ISPs):
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56 (2000) |
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Internet
users:
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7.89 million (2002) [Top]
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Railways:
|
total:
14,189 km
broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409
km electrified)
standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455
km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781
km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified)
(2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
346,858 km
paved: 343,389 km (including 9,063 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 3,469 km (1997) |
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Waterways:
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1,045 km (of minor economic importance) |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km;
natural gas 1,666 km |
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Ports
and harbors:
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Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon
de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas
(Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon,
Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander,
Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo |
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Merchant
marine:
|
total:
140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104
DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical
tanker 10, container 13, liquefied gas 5, livestock
carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated
cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger
6, vehicle carrier 4
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia
1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1, Netherlands
1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
152 (2002) |
|
Airports
- with paved runways:
|
total:
93
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 |
|
Airports
- with unpaved runways:
|
total:
59
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 43 (2002) |
|
Heliports:
|
7 (2002) [Top]
|
|
Military
branches:
|
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National
Police, Coastal Civil Guard |
|
Military
manpower - military age:
|
20 years of age (2003 est.) |
|
Military
manpower - availability:
|
males
age 15-49: 10,524,715 (2003 est.) |
|
Military
manpower - fit for military service:
|
males
age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.) |
|
Military
manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
255,826 (2003 est.) |
|
Military
expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$8.6 billion (2002) |
|
Military
expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.15% (2002)
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[Top]
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Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military