Spain

Full name of country: Kingdom of Spain

Region: Europe

Official language: Castilian Spanish

Population: 47,280,433 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Spaniard(s) (noun), Spanish (adjective)

Land area: 498,980 sq km (192,657 sq miles)

Water area: 6,390 sq km (2,467 sq miles)

Capital: Madrid

National anthem: “Himno Nacional Espanol” (National Anthem of Spain), by None/Unknown

National holiday: National Day, October 12 (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas

Population growth: 0.12% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The Spanish flag is composed of three horizontal stripes, with a large yellow stripe in the middle, bordered by two smaller red stripes. The yellow stripe is twice the size of each red stripe. In the left-hand side of the yellow band is Spain’s coat of arms, which consists of a crown atop a shield that is flanked by two columns.

Motto: “Plus ultra” (Further beyond)

Independence: 1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim 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

Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system with regional variations

The fourth largest country in Europe by area, the Kingdom of Spain is a nation with a long history. Through the centuries it has had a profound influence on politics, music, art, and literature. It is a country with a widely diverse terrain and a highly homogeneous population. Spain’s history, natural beauty, and climate make it a popular destination for tourists.

Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula, along with Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar, in southwest Europe. France lies along Spain’s northeast border. In addition to the mainland, Spain’s territory includes the two autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa and seventeen autonomous communities, including the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Spain has a lower population density than most European countries. As is the case throughout Europe, much of Spain’s rural population is moving into the cities. Approximately 81.6 percent of the population is urban (2023).

The two largest cities in Spain are Madrid, with a population of 6.751 million, and Barcelona, with a population of 5.687 million (2023). Other major cities include Valencia, Sevilla, Zaragoza, and Malaga.

The official language nationwide, Castilian Spanish, is spoken by 74 percent of the population. Another 17 percent speak Catalan, which is an official language in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Galician is an official language in Galicia, in the northwest of the country, and spoken by about 7 percent of the total population. Basque is spoken by approximately 2 percent of the total population and is an official language in the Basque Country and in Navarre, in the north. Aranese is an official language in the northwest corner of Catalonia, although fewer than five thousand people speak it. In Spanish North Africa, Spanish and Arabic are spoken.

Although there is no state religion, 58.2 percent of Spaniards are Roman Catholic (2021 estimate), and the constitution recognizes the importance of the Catholic Church in Spain. Atheists account for 16.2 percent of the population, while agnostics make up 10.8 percent of the population and nonbelievers comprise 10.5 percent (2021 estimate). Other religions include Anglican, Baptist, Spanish Evangelical, Greek Orthodox, Islam, and Judaism. In Spanish North Africa, most of the European population is Roman Catholic, while most of the North Africans are Muslim.

Most Spaniards are composites of Mediterranean and Nordic ethnicity. However, distinct ethnic groups include the Basques, Catalans, Galicians, and Roma.

There are seventeen autonomous communities in Spain, including País Vasco (English, Basque Country; Basque, Euskal Herriko), in the northern part of the country. Basque Country comprises the Spanish provinces of Álava, Biscay (Vizcaya), and Gipuzkoa (Guipúzcoa). In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, some residents of Basque Country declared their intention to secede from Spain, and a radical separatist movement known as ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna, or Basque Homeland and Liberty) launched a violent campaign toward that end.

Indigenous People: There is evidence of human habitation in the Iberian Peninsula dating as far back as the Paleolithic period, more than 12,000 years ago. Around 1000 BCE, the area that is now Spain saw an influx of other ancient peoples, including Greeks, Carthaginians, Celts, and Phoenicians. By the end of the first century BCE, the Roman Empire controlled the entire peninsula.

Visigoths, Muslims, and Franks battled for control of Spain during the Middle Ages. Jews and Gitanos also arrived in the region during this period.

Modern Spaniards are descended from this eclectic mix of peoples and cultures.

Education: Education is compulsory from age six to sixteen. Primary education begins at age six and lasts for six years. After secondary school, students may take one or two years of vocational training or a two-year college-preparatory course that leads to the Bachillerato degree.

Education is free in public schools, which educate the majority of the students in Spain. Most private schools, run by the Catholic Church, also receive subsidies that allow them to offer tuition-free instruction.

Spain is home to many universities with long-established histories. The Universidad Complutense de Madrid was founded in the thirteenth century by King Sancho IV of Castile. The University of Salamanca was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX of Leon.

The literacy rate in Spain is 98.6 percent (2020 estimate).

Health Care:Spain has a single-payer health-care system that has been ranked among the best in the world by the World Health Organization. Spain’s health-care system offers universal coverage with few out-of-pocket expenses. However, long wait times for appointments with certain specialists and for certain procedures have generated criticism.

Spain has 4.44 doctors for every 1,000 people (2019), but the distribution of physicians is uneven. Large cities have the best hospitals and the most medical personnel. In other areas, especially the interior, patients may have to wait a long time to see a doctor.

Patients who have private health insurance may choose their own doctors and generally receive better care than public health care patients.

Life expectancy is 83 years overall—80.3 years for men and 85.8 years for women (2024 estimate). Spain ranked twenty-seventh (based on 2021 data) on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index.

Food: Spanish cooking uses a lot of olive oil and tomatoes. Many Spanish recipes have Arab influences, using typical Middle Eastern spices along with fruits or almonds in savory dishes.

One favorite Spanish dish is tortillas, which are nothing like the Mexican flat bread that most Americans are used to. Instead, a Spanish tortilla is complex omelet made with potatoes. Another traditional dish is paella, a mixture of meats and shellfish with garlic, peas, onions, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. The name comes from the wide, shallow, two-handled pan that is used to cook and serve the dish.

Other foods typically served in Spain include gazpacho (cold soup), lamb, pork, cheese, sardines, octopus, calamari (squid), and fruit.

Tapas, small snacks or appetizers of typical Spanish food, are a prominent feature of Spanish dining. They are served in inexpensive restaurants called tapas bars.

The national drink is wine. Spain is famous for sangria, a mixture of wine and fruit juice, and for jerez (sherry). Cocoa and thick, black coffee are also popular drinks. Carbonated water is called con gas (with gas), and plain water is called sin gas (without gas).

Arts & Entertainment: Because the heat can be intense, leisure activities in Spain often begin at sundown. Many businesses close as people rest during the hottest part of the day. This period is called siesta.

The evening often begins with a paseo, a stroll through the streets. Streets in Spain are lively places, lined with busy sidewalk cafes and bars.

Bullfighting is still a popular form of entertainment in Spain, as it has been since the first corrida (bullfight) honored the coronation of Alfonso VIII in the twelfth century. In fact, La Fiesta Nacional (the National Sport) is enjoying a resurgence of popularity. Bullrings are found all over the country.

Spanish art also has a long history, from the Stone Age cave paintings at Altamira to modern artists such as Pablo Picasso and contemporary painters such as Miquel Barceló. World-renowned Spanish artists include such trendsetters are Diego de Silva y Velasquez, El Greco (Domenico Theokopoulos), Francisco Jose de Goya, Salvador Dalí, and surrealist architect Antonio Gaudí. The art museum Museo del Prado in Madrid rivals the Louvre in Paris.

One of the most famous Spanish writers is Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, better known simply as Cervantes. He wrote Don Quixote in 1605 (Part I) and 1615 (part II). The poet Federico Garcia Lorca dominates twentieth-century Spanish literature.

The Spanish also love music. The guitar was invented in a town in Andalucia (Andalusia) in the late eighteenth century. The two main types of guitar music in Spain are classical and flamenco. Famous Spanish guitarists include Andres Segovia and Paco de Lucia.

Flamenco is fast music played with both hands on the strings. The player also sometimes knocks on the wood. Flamenco dancing is uniquely Spanish and is popular throughout the country, among both young and old people. Flamenco originated with the Romani in the sixteenth century. While there are many styles of flamenco, the lively duende (demon) form is the most popular.

Holidays: Official holidays observed in Spain include Labor Day (May 1), National Day (October 12), and Constitution Day (December 6), which honors the approval of the constitution in 1978.

Local fiestas and celebrations are held in towns and regions throughout Spain. The Reconquest Festival, held each January in Granada, celebrates the Christian defeat of the Moors in 1492. In the south, the Festival de Cadiz is held in March. The country’s oldest festival, it features parades and costumes.

During the first weekend in July, wild horses are rounded up and branded in the Rapa das Bestas, held in San Lorenzo, Galicia.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Spain accounts for more than four-fifths of the Iberian Peninsula, and includes the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and some small areas in Morocco. Spain is bounded on the north by the Bay of Biscay, France, and Andorra; on the west by Portugal; on the east by the Mediterranean; and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Morocco is 30 kilometers (19 miles) to the south, across the Strait of Gibraltar. Along the Moroccan coast are the Spanish regions of Melilla, a peninsula, and Ceuta, which includes Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera and two island groups. Together, these are known as Spanish North Africa.

The Canary Islands reveal a diverse landscape that includes volcanoes, forest, and desert. The best-known Balearic Islands are Ibiza, Mallorca, and Menorca. The islands are especially known for their beautiful beaches.

Spain is a little more than twice the size of the American state of Oregon, or about the size of Arizona and Utah combined. It is the fourth largest country in Europe.

The central region of the country is a high plateau called the meseta. This plateau is really two plains areas nearly surrounded by mountain ranges. The most prominent and important of these are the Pyrenees, along the border with France. Other mountains include the Cantabrian Range in the north, the Iberian Mountains in the north and east, and the Sierra Morena in the south. Pasturelands are a main feature of the southern part of the country.

Most Spanish rivers are not navigable. The major rivers are the Tajo (Tagus), Duero (Douro), Guadiana, and Guadalquivir. These rivers all run east to west and flow into Portugal.

The highest point in Spain is Pico de Teide on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The mountain rises to 3,718 meters (12,198 feet).

Natural Resources: Among Spain’s major natural resources are iron ore, lignite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, mercury, magnesite (magnesium carbonate), gypsum, fluorspar, uranium, potash, tungsten, and hydropower.

Environmental concerns include pollution by offshore oil and gas production, pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by raw sewage, air pollution, deforestation, desertification, and availability of clean water. Overpopulation and erosion have damaged the coast.

Plants & Animals: With its wide range of terrains, Spain enjoys great biodiversity. Forests and woodlands cover most of the country. Common trees include pine, laurel, beech, and cork oak. Typical flowers include orchids, gentians, lavender, thyme, and rosemary.

Spain maintains sixteen national parks that protect representative species of plants and wildlife.

While hunting has eliminated many species of wildlife, red squirrels, tortoises, deer, ibex, wolves, chamois (a horned, hoofed mountain animal similar to a goat), bears, Iberian lynx, wild boar, and a variety of reptiles remain in Spain. Gibraltar is home to the famous Barbary macaques, Europe’s only species of wild monkey.

Many species of aquatic and migratory birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles live in the wetlands of Castile. Native Spanish birds include flamingos, kites, vultures, herons, geese, bustards, storks, eagles, and spoonbills. Spain has more than twenty breeding species of birds of prey.

Climate: In general, Spain’s climate is temperate, with hot summers and cool winters (particularly in the interior hills). The coastal areas are more moderate, with cool, cloudy days.

The temperature varies widely. Along the northern coast, the average winter temperature is 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit), and the average summer temperature is 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit). The central plateau has an average winter temperature of 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit), and an average summer temperature of 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit).

The rest of mainland Spain has an average winter temperature of 11 degrees Celsius (52 degrees Fahrenheit) and an average summer temperature of 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit). The Canary Islands, Balearics, and Spanish North Africa average more than 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter and about 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer.

About three-quarters of Spain is dry, receiving less than 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rain annually and experiencing frequent droughts. The northern coast receives more rainfall, approximately 97 centimeters (38 inches) each year. The central plateau receives less than 38 centimeters (15 inches). The rainfall in the rest of mainland Spain ranges from 25 to 60 centimeters (10 to 24 inches).

Experts warned that Spain, like other countries, had experienced effects of climate change that meant, overall, increasingly warmer and drier conditions.

Economy

A member of the European Union, Spain has an open, modern, industrial economy. Prior to World War II, its economy was mainly agricultural. Although unemployment is high, at an estimated 12.14 percent of the work force in 2023, this represented an improvement over the previous year’s rate, which was an estimated 12.92 percent. Spain’s economy suffered greatly following the global financial crisis that began in 2008 and has had one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.

In 2023, Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$2.242 trillion. The per capita GDP was US$46,400 (2023 estimate).

Industry: Major industrial activities in Spain include the manufacture of processed consumer goods, machine tools, steel, automobiles, and chemicals. Most of the country’s industry is concentrated near the city of Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia.

Exports, primarily of motor vehicles, refined petroleum, and consumer goods brought in an estimated $615.83 billion in 2023. Spain’s largest trading partners are France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and China.

Agriculture: When Rome ruled Europe, Spain was known as the “Garden of the Empire.” In 2018, arable land accounted for 24.9 percent of the country’s area.

Spain’s dry climate limits the types of crops that can be grown successfully. The country is known for its oranges, wine grapes, and olives, and is the world’s largest producer of olive oil.

Spanish farmers also produce barley, wheat, sugar beets, tomatoes, tangerines, peaches and nectarines, dry onions, chilies and green peppers, corn, and potatoes.

Tourism: Spain is one of the most popular destinations for European travelers, and about 126 million international tourists visited Spain in 2019. This number dropped to 36.4 million following the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. However, as travel restrictions lifted over the subsequent years, the tourism industry rebounded, with the tourism minister reporting over 71 million international tourists visiting the country in 2022.

Attractions include the climate, beaches, and historical cities such as Ávila, Toledo, and Segovia. Popular attractions in Madrid include the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), the cathedral of San Isidro, and the Museo de Pinturas (Museum of Paintings), also known as El Prado.

The Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) in the southern part of the country features many luxury resorts. The Summer Olympic Games were held in Barcelona in 1992.

The government has made efforts to attract even more tourists by improving infrastructure, especially the country’s railroad system and highways.

Government

Before the Muslim occupation, which began in 711, Spain was divided into numerous kingdoms. When Ferdinand and Isabella completed the reconquest of Granada in 1492, the peninsula was united into present-day Spain.

Modern Spain is a constitutional monarchy. The king is the hereditary chief of state. The head of government is the president. Normally, the king nominates the president from the majority party (or coalition) in Las Cortes Generales (the General Courts), and the lower house then votes the president into office. The president then chooses a Council of Ministers.

The General Courts are a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senado (Senate) and the Congreso de los Diputados (Congress of Deputies). The Senate consists of 265 members who serve four-year terms. The 350 deputies are elected to four-year terms by popular vote.

There is also a Council of State that makes recommendations to the government but cannot make binding recommendations.

The Tribunal Supremo, or Supreme Court, is the highest court in the judicial branch of government. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the monarch from candidates who are proposed by the General Council of the Judiciary Power.

The voting age is eighteen, and suffrage is universal. Spain is divided into fifty provinces, including forty-seven on the peninsula and three island provinces.

Major political parties include the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español), Citizens (Ciudadanos), and People's Party (Partido Popular).

Interesting Facts

• Many Spaniards greet each other by kissing each other on both cheeks.
• The town of Buñol hosts La Tomatina, an annual tomato fight festival on the last Wednesday of August. Some 50,000 people attended the festival in 2012, but tickets have been limited to around 20,000 attendees.
• Spanish inventor Manuel Jalón Corominas created the modern mop and wheeled bucket in 1956.
• In 2019, Spain won the FIBA World Cup, its second, for the first time since 2006.
• In 2023, Spain won the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time.

Bibliography

Human Development Report 2021/2022. United Nations Development Programme, 2022, hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2021-22pdf‗1.pdf. 9 Dec. 2024.

"International Tourism, Number of Arrivals." The World Bank, data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL. Accessed 29 Jun. 2022.

"Over 71 Million Foreign Tourists Visited Spain in 2022, Minister Says." Reuters, 1 Feb. 2023, www.reuters.com/markets/europe/over-71-million-foreign-tourists-visited-spain-2022-minister-says-2023-02-01/. Accessed 3 Nov. 2023.

“Spain.” The World Bank, 2023, data.worldbank.org/country/spain. Accessed 3 Nov. 2023.

“Spain.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 Nov. 2023, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/spain/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.