Geographical location
Spain is located in the South west of Europe, occupying 80% of the Iberian Peninsula, shared with Portugal. It limits to the north with the Bay of Biscay, France and Andorra; to the west with the Mediterranean Sea; to the south with the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and to the east with the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.
It has a surface of 505,957 Km2, including the peninsula, and the territories of the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the Spanish cities located in the north of Africa: Ceuta and Melilla.
In comparison to the rest of the countries of the world, Spain is a small country. Nevertheless, within the Europe, it is the third largest country, after Russia and France.
It has five big mountain chains crossing the country and almost 50% of the territory is seated on two plateaus. After Switzerland, Spain is the most elevated country in Europe, with an average height of 600 m.
Political-territorial divisions
Spain is one of the fifteen member countries of the European Union. The Spanish territory is divided in seventeen Autonomous Regions, with their own Government bodies and representative institutions. It also has two autonomous cities.
Capital
Madrid is the capital of Spain and one of the most important Autonomous Regions. Its population is 4,726,000 inhabitants and houses the most important national institutions and public administration organisms. Among them we find the Moncloa Palace – residence of the President of the Government – the Congress, the Senate and the Zarzuela Palace, house of Juan Carlos I, king of Spain.
Autonomous Regions and main provinces:
The Autonomous Regions have a capital and are divided in provinces. Each province has several cities; nevertheless, in Spain, provinces are more a reference than the cities that compose them. Besides, each region has several city councils and municipalities.
The seventeen Autonomous Regions are: Andalusia, Galicia, Aragón, Balearic Islands, Asturias, Canary Islands, Cantabria, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia, Catalonia, Navarre, Valencian Community, Basque Country and Extremadura. The Autonomous Regions are Ceuta and Melilla.
Population
The inhabitants of the seventeen Autonomous Regions and the two Autonomous cities of the Spanish territory total thirty-nine million people, with a density of eighty people per Km2. This is one of the lowest density indexes of the European Union, a little more than Greece and Ireland and six times less than the Low Countries.
The highest density of population in Spain is concentrated in the region of Madrid, followed by the Basque Country, the Canary Islands, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community. The lowest density of population is in Castilla-La Mancha, followed by Aragón, Extremadura or Castilla León, with less than 30 inhabitants per Km2.
National inhabitants: the current population is composed of different ethnic-cultural groups: Castilians, Asturians, Andalusians, Valencians, Catalonians, Canarians, Basques and Galicians, coming from the fusion of the Iberian people, of Mediterranean origin; and the Celts, coming from Central Europe, with the Arabs from the North of Africa. Besides, this fusion is the result of the successive invasions occurred along the Spanish history, among which we have to highlight the invasions by Greeks, Romans, Visigothics, Arabs and Jewish.
Foreign inhabitants: of the total foreigners in Spain, more than 50% come from a European Union country, mainly from England, Germany, Portugal, France and Italy. Most of these people live in tourism and coastal areas, in the financial and business centres of Madrid and Barcelona. Among the foreign population of the rest of the world, 20% comes from America, mainly from Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. A great percentage of the Hispanic population belongs to the communitarian regime, that is, they are relatives of a national inhabitant of a European Union country. People coming from Africa is about 30%, and within this percentage, 80% comes from Morocco. Only 5% of the foreign inhabitants come from Asia, and the most representative population comes from the Philippines.
Kinds of Government
Spain’s political form is the hereditary constitutional monarchy, with a regime of parliamentary democracy. Powers are divided into Legislative, Executive and Judicial.
According to the Spanish Constitution, the king Juan Carlos I is the head of the State and the Field Marshal and head of the three Armies. Among the functions the Constitution gives to the King, proposing and naming the candidate to President of the Government once he has obtained the confidence of the Cortes (Spanish Parliament). The figure of the King is inviolable and is not subject to explanations.
The monarchy has a great influence on Spanish life. It is considered that it has been the image of the permanence and unity of the State, and has contributed to the modernization of the country. By means of its activity, the Crown has devoted to put the State close to the population and has contributed to integrate the variety of Spain’s cultures in a single nation.
The general image of the King Juan Carlos I is that of a great leader, and has worked for the good name of the Spanish monarchy in the country and in the whole world and, for many people, occupies a privileged place in Spain’s history. Besides, it is well known the open and direct character of the Royal Family, the simple way of life, the absence of a Royal Court and the support given by the King, the Queen, the Prince and the two princesses to numerous humanitarian and moral causes. For Spaniards, monarchy is the guarantee of democracy and democratic institutions.
The Legislative Power is on the so called ‘Cortes Generales’ (Spanish Parliament), composed of the Congress and the Senate. Their members are chosen every four years by universal suffrage. The function of the Parliament is to pass the Government Budget and the supervision of the Government actions.
The Executive power of the nation is exerted by the President of the Government, chosen for a period of four years and is assisted by the Counsel of Ministers and the Senate. The Government runs the domestic and international policy, civil and military administration, and the defence of the country.
Spanish administration is organized in municipalities, provinces and Autonomous Regions. There are seventeen Autonomous Regions and two Autonomous cities, which have their respective Parliaments and Executives.
The Judicial Power is administered, in the name of the King, by Judges and Magistrates. The ‘Consejo General del Poder Judicial’ (General Counsel of the Judicial Power, CGPJ) is the Government body of the judicial power and the Tribunal Superior de Justicia (Superior Justice Court) is the highest judicial body of the State. The president of the Court is named by the King, according to the proposal of the CGPJ.
The majority political parties in Spain and the Partido Popular (Popular Party) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Labour Socialist Party). There are other parties with a smaller political influence.
Language
Castilian is the official language, known as Spanish since the Middle Age. The Real Academia de la Lengua (Royal Academy of the Language) preferred to call it Castilian until 1925, when they opted to call it Spanish in its Dictionary.
Having an official language does not discard the possibility of speaking other languages in the Spanish territory; quite the contrary, the Constitution recognizes the right of the Autonomous Regions to use their own languages.
In that sense, the official languages officially recognized in the Statutes of the Autonomous Regions are: Basque, used in the Basque Country and Navarre; Galician, in Galicia, and Catalonian, in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, where, according to the Dictionary, the variety of Catalonian receives the name of Valencian. There are other languages less known spoken in Spain: Bable, in Asturias, Gascon in Catalonia. Portuguese is spoken in Castilla-León and Extremadura.
Banks and Currency
There are many banks and branches in the entire country and you do not need to be a citizen or a resident to open a bank account. If the latter, you need a non-residence certificate and the passport. To obtain a non-residence certificate, you must go with your passport and a copy to the 'Comisaria General de Documentacion' (Papers' General Police Office) of the respective region. It usually takes about ten days.
The banking time table is Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There are also automatic cash dispensers in many shopping centres and main streets which work 24/7. With debit cards, apart from buying things, you can also obtain cash from cash dispensers. The most important credit cards accepted in Spain are American Express and Diners.
As a European Union country, the Euro is the official currency. Coins are of 1 cent €, 2 cent. €, 5 cent €, 10 cent. €, 20 cent €, 50 cent. €, 1 € and 2 €. Notes are of 5 €, 10 €, 20 €, 50 €, 100 €, 200 € and 500 €.
Taxes
Spain has signed agreements with the rest of the EU countries, except Greece, in order to avoid paying taxes twice for the same earnings. In this way, if you have incomes in another member state, you will pay the corresponding taxes in Spain, in the other country or a part in each country, depending on the terms of the tax agreements.
Taxes in Spain are divided in: 12.3 % on indirect taxes such as goods and services;9.9% on rent taxes and companies benefits; 21.3 % on patrimony and other smaller percentages. Spain is the seventh country, together with Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, France, The Netherlands and Japan, where the Social Security returns constitute the main income source of the Public Administrations.
Regarding taxes, if a person lives in Spain, he/she must pay for the total of the goods he/she owns in any other country if his/her patrimony surpasses a minimal amount. This a progressive type of tax against the patrimony.
There is also a tax on legal and commercial documents and certain transactions, such as the acquisition of real estate properties and the constitution of mortgages. In the same way, municipalities have their own taxes, such as those on automobiles and real estate properties.
Education
After England and Ireland, Spain is the third destination country for foreign students. Nowadays, 36 % of the foreign student come from America and, within this category, 39 % are from Latin America. 29 % are Europeans, of which 22 % are from the EU. The Arab world provides 14 % of the foreign students, Africa 12 % and Asia 9 %.
Spain has also become one of the most attractive countries for student exchanges, an experience that enriches the country and opens new horizons in both student and country.
During the last years, the number of University students from South America and Asia has evidently increased. Their favourite destinations are Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Granada and Seville. Students' interests combine the academic issues with folklore activities and popular culture, one of the main attractions of Spain, according to the students themselves.
Religion
During the Middle Ages, Christianity, Judaism and Islamism were the religious options without distinction, but from the time of the Catholic Monarchs and Inquisition, Christianity became the official religion in Spain.
Liberal Constitutions of the 19th century established religious freedom, but during the conservative periods, Roman Catholic religion became the official religion of the State.
During the last two centuries, respect for all religions and freedom of worship has spread, though Roman Catholic Church influence is still very important. Almost 98 % of Spaniards are Catholic, though not all of them take part in religious rituals. The other 2 % belongs to the Jewish and Islamic religions that still exist in our country.
Economy and Standard of Living
Spain has enormous extensions of fertile lands, from which 54 % is dedicated to Agriculture. Some of the main products are citrus fruits, grapes and olives; the last two are used for wine and oil production. The fishing sector is also very important; the Spanish fishing float is one of the most important in the world. Besides Spain is a great tourism power due to the variety of the landscape, the conservation of the historical patrimony and the nice character of its people.
The most important industrial advances are concentrated in sectors like Agriculture and Food, Automobiles, Chemicals, Ship Building, Steel, Textile, and shoe making. Besides, Spain is one of the richest countries in mineral production from ancient times. Nowadays, its mineral diversity allows us to find almost all kinds of minerals.
Generally speaking, the Standard of Living in Spain is high, and population enjoys, without great efforts, of the essential social services such as health, education and housing.
Regarding unemployment, the average unemployment rate is a little high. Besides, one of the most typical aspects of unemployment in Spain is the unequal incidence it has on different sectors. Women and young people are the most affected. Anyway, unemployment general situation in Spain is expected to improve, according to some experts' opinion. They consider that the effects of the 'Plan General para el Empleo' (General Plan for Employment) should be seen soon. It was a co-ordinate Plan of economic policy and employment creation started by the Government that will last until the year 2004.
On the other hand, Spain is one of the countries receiving more foreign investment and one of the biggest European investors in Latin America.
According to some figures from the IMF, Japan, Germany, Spain and the USA are, in this order, the countries with the highest reserves in the world. Spain has a reserve of $66 billion.
Means of Transport
Almost one third of the international travellers coming to Spain use air transport. It is considered that more than 50 million people pass by the Spanish airports every year. For, after the USA and France, Spain is the most visited country in the world.
The strategic geographical position and its tourism attraction explain its importance in the international passenger air traffic, representing more than 75 % in Europe. The domestic traffic centre is Barajas Airport in Madrid, linked by an air shuttle with Barcelona. After this, Madrid, with the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands are the lines with a highest traffic density.
The train is also used a lot in Spain. It has different services and comprises the entire national territory. 'Cercanias' is the name of the local networks. The trains work from 6:00 a.m. until midnight with trains every 15 minutes. Most lines are connected to an underground station. Regional trains have many destinations; the so called 'Grandes Lineas' (Big Lines) is a network designed to reach points more than 400 Km. away from the departing point, and the train AVE is a high speed service that covers the journey from Madrid to the south of Spain
The most important cities, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, etc. have effective underground networks working, in many cases up to 20 h. per day, from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. In fact Madrid underground is considered on e of the best in the world, if not the best. Bus lines comprise very far routes reaching all cities; most of them work from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. After that time, there is night buses service working until 6: 00 a.m. Besides, there are bus stations for long domestic or international journeys.
Taxi service is the most comfortable means of transport, tough it can be a little more expensive. Nevertheless, it is considered one of the cheapest in Europe. There is a 'bajada de bandera' (initial tariff). Generally, there is a charge between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., as well as on Sundays and holidays. A small tip is usually given to the taxi driver.
Public Services
Postal Service in Spain is very effective. There are offices in every province for any postal service, including sending letters and packets, international money orders, fax service, telegrams, etc. They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., though some offices are also open in the evening. We must point out that Spain has a very important philatelic culture. its stamps, lectures and collector clubs are internationally known.
If you want to make international or domestic calls, you can use one of the numerous public phones you can find in every city.
Shops time tables vary, but in general you do not have to get up very early if you want to go shopping in Spain. Stores open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They open again at 4:30 a.m. and remain open until 9:00 p.m. In big cities, big stores and shopping centres do not close at midday.
Personal Safety
Spain, as all European countries, has very populated cities where, sometimes, inhabitants' personal safety is in danger; therefore, it is advisable for any foreigner to put into practice the same safety measures of their origin countries. In Spain, the phone number 112 is the central emergency phone number (National police, Urban Police, Civil Guard, Fire Department, Paramedics).
Firstly, you must choose where to stay and try to know the area; in this way you will know where you should go.
When walking along the street, try to avoid lonely and dark places. In Spain it is recommended to walk in the opposite direction of the cars and as far as possible of the sidewalks' corner and the wallet or bag to the inside of the sidewalk, in order to avoid the so-called 'tirones' (pull-away).
Whenever you are going to use an Automatic cash dispenser, you must look around first in case there are suspicious people. If you have any doubts with certain people, do not use the cash dispenser at this moment or go to another one.
Recent statistics show that the period with a highest theft rate is on Easter and summer holidays. Taking precaution measures is recommended at these times of the year.
Terrorism is a social problem, and even Spaniards consider it the number one domestic problem, followed by drugs. The main character of Spanish terrorism is the illegal organisation ETA (which in Basque correspond to the initials of Basque Nation and Freedom) which, from its creation in 1959, has been committing terrorist acts whose political goal is to achieve the total independence of the Basque provinces: the Basque country (Biscay, Alava and Guipuzcoa), Navarre and the French regions of Lapurdi, Low Navarre and Zuberoa, which belong to the Department of Atlantic Pyrenees.
Nevertheless, ETA is not an entity completely autonomous; it is a relatively well-structured organisation network where each part plays a role. ETA is in charge of the military fight with point black killings, bomb cars, revolutionary taxes on businessmen (money required under the threat of murder), etc.
ETA is far from having democratic ideals and, by means of extremely cruel and violent crimes, it is only supported by very close environments.
Since 1999, after the most bloody terrorist attacks ever after their commanders-in-chief became less professionals, which are not composed by experienced activists anymore, and have been substituted by voluntary and fanatic young people. This led ETA to behave in a more uncontrolled way, choosing among their victim's politicians, military men, civil guards and journalists in the entire country.
Cultural and social life
Nowadays, Spanish cultural life is the result of the external influences received along its history, as it can be seen in its richness and diversity. Little societies are so close to contemporary reality and at the same time so deeply linked to traditions and history.
Big names of Spanish Arts have been strong enough to break the established standards: Dalí and Picasso in Painting, Cervantes and Quevedo in Literature, Manuel de Falla and Albéniz in Music; and they are just a few examples. All cultural manifestations are directly supported by the Government, whose official organism in charge is the Ministry of Education and Culture and, to a lesser extent, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which dedicate a big part of the public Funds to culture.
Spanish literature has developed vertiginously as cultural expression. Nowadays, it is considered that the publishing sector has consolidates as it considers the book as a cultural good, an expression instrument whose authors and tendencies have gone beyond frontiers due to the quality and the subjects of its narrative. Besides, Spanish publishing industry takes advantage of this fact to expand Spanish as a language all over the world. This is the aim of the 'Instituto Cervantes' (Cervantes Institute), a public institution created in 1991 to promote and teach Spanish and to spread Spanish and Latin American cultures.
The Prado museum is an emblematic area in Madrid and Europe, locatedin Madrid and gathers three of the most important museums: the Prado museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza museum and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía national museum. There you can fin the 'Meninas' by Velázquez, the 'majas' by Goya and the Guernica by Picasso, together with other masterpieces of Art history.
In Spain, apart from Christmas, Easter and Carnival, all towns and villages have their own Patron Saints whose festivities last a few days. Among them there are the 'San Fermines' in Pamplona, the 'Fallas' in Valencia', the 'Feria de Abril' (April Fair) in Seville and San Isidro in Madrid.
Bullfighting is a national emblem in Spain; it is accepted by the majority of Spaniards, who consider it a very important cultural and artistic manifestation that has survived until our days. At the same time it is a discussed tradition, especially because of animal protection organisations, who consider bullfighting unjustified and a torture for animals.
Flamenco is another famous cultural manifestation; folklore tradition from the south of Spain, particularly from Andalusia, has gone beyond frontiers and become a world famous entertainment. Flamenco has become so important as cultural manifestation that you can find flamenco schools anywhere in Spain.
Regarding film industry, Spain plays an important role at European and world level with international and awarded directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Bigas Luna and Fernando Trueba. This industry has also been supported by important international careers of actors and actresses like Antonio Banderas or Penélope Cruz, the worldwide known, Javier Bardem, Carmen Mauras, Aitana Sanchez-Gijón.
Geography turns Spain into a privileged country for sports. The favourite water sports are sailing, sport fishing, scuba-diving and windsurf; nature is appropriate for horse riding or bike routes; flying in an ultra light airplane or paragliding also enjoy of favourable conditions: Other sports to be practiced are golf, tennis or ski.
Concerning cooking, Spain is also very important. The quality and variety of its gastronomy is one of the main attractions. We cannot talk about a single traditional gastronomy, but about several regional ones. Paella, soups and pies from Galicia, fabada from Asturias (beans); Madrilean style tripe and potato omelette are some of the thousand of famous dishes in Spain.
While living in Spain, foreigners must take into account that habits here might be a little different from the origin country regarding time, as here meals are a little later than usual. Eating outside is not a luxury in Spain either. Most people work from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; therefore, many of them eat in restaurants.
We have to highlight the wine industry. Spain is one of the most important wine manufacturers. Besides, wine is an essential element in Spanish cooking.
Weather
Although Spain is located in a warm area, the relief produces several climates; we can talk about two main weather areas: the first one is composed of the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. It is a rainy area with typical sea weather and little temperature variations. This weather, typical in Western Europe, favours the north of Spain vegetation.
The second weather area is at the south of the Cantabric mountains. It is the dry part of Spain. Changeable weather, little rain and burning sun; sometimes there are local short storms.
Most provinces have four seasons. Temperatures vary depending on the distance to the coast, the height and the time of the year.
Summer: generally hot, temperatures go from 25ºC to 45ºC, depending on the area. The centre is quite hot, reaching 40ºC. in the north, the summer is cool, as temperatures vary from 15ºC to 25ºC.
Autumn: rain season, especially in the west and the south. In the centre, temperatures go from 8ºC to 21ºC.
Winter: quite cold and most of the time dry; temperatures vary from 0ºC to 12ºC. in the south and the west of the country, it is very rainy. In the centre, the weather can be very cold, reaching minimal temperatures of -3ºC and maximal ones of 10ºC. In the north, winters are usually cold and with cloudy skiers and constant rains.
Spring: occasional rains. in the centre, temperatures go from 8ºC to 21ºC.
Generally speaking, rains are divided in two periods: the main one in autumn and a secondary period in spring, while dry periods are summer and winter. Rainy areas occupy one third of the country, while the other two thirds are the dry area.
How are the Spaniards?
Historical tradition has determined the way Spaniards are. Heirs of a culture that mixes religions and ideas, Spaniards are very hospitables, open and kind, and always protectors of their unity as a nation, what they have been doing for centuries.
Some of the cultural characteristics of Spaniards are:
Regional feeling: Spaniards are united and passionate about fighting for the conservation of their traditions and history. Every region, province and town keeps their ancient legends and traditions almost untouched. Spaniards take so much care of their history that they turn it into present in every popular festivity. This feeling is also present in the conservation of the historical patrimony: churches, monasteries, convents, squares and houses of famous people are protected by the State. On the citizen's side, they assume this responsibility telling foreigners the stories of these places.
Strong character: Spaniards are proud of the way they are, particularly regarding the conservation of their geography, which they defend above everything. Spanish economic crises along the 20th century have flourished the other side of the Iberian character: protection of their employment sources and competitiveness with other European nations.
Habits: despite many habits have changed due to the new ways of working, Spain still maintains the habit of taking a break in their working day, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to eat with their families. Spaniards like abundant food and very well seasoned. Lunch is usually plentiful and the variety of dishes is very big and, sometimes, they have to take a nap. At night, dinner is around 10:00 p.m. and after that there is an exciting night life where the noisy character of Spaniards becomes evident.
Expressive and frank: Spaniards spend a lot of time out of home and they have developed an open and fluent ability of talking; it is very easy to establish with them a conversation in bars, taverns or any leisure area in general. The salutation with two kisses, one on each cheek, is the closest physical contact they offer to foreign visitors. Other kind of contacts is reserved for couples or old friends, though people are not very expressive in that sense. Between men, the contact is limited to shake their hands. They speak fast and imperatively, though it does not imply superiority, disagreement or distance. . Spaniards are direct and expressive in their opinions and judgements, which they usually defend with honest and frank arguments.
Appreciation for the Monarchy: in general, Spaniards are proud of having their Monarchs as Heads of the State. This is a characteristic that goes beyond the laws and regulations that contemplate it, in a true attitude of respect and appreciation for the Monarchy, an institution that belongs to the Spanish character. For many people, the Royal Family is the example of family life. The role of the king in the transition period and the coup d'Etat in 1981 has strengthend his position up to our days.
Appreciation for freedom: after living under a dictatorship for thirty years, Spaniards have developed a collectivity feeling full of freedom and licenses, that some people called 'el gran destape' (the great liberation). This new social feeling found its biggest manifestation in the capital city, which led to a movement called 'Movida Madrileña' (Madrilean Movement). This social movement was in its best form in the 80's and soon spread to the entire country, mainly to the important urban centres like Madrid, Barcelona, etc., leading to the outburst of artistic manifestations, namely in music, cinema and literature. Generally speaking, we can say that nowadays there is still a particular tendency in Spain to fun, parties and relaxing situations, as a way of remembering the freedom achieved.
Sense of humour: one of the favourite hobbies of Spaniards is making jokes in almost all situations, and they are even proud of the ability to laugh at themselves. Spanish sense of humour is evident in their comics; the most famous characters are 'Mortadelo y Filemón', secret agents with almost 40 years of existence, they are considered a good example of Spanish sense of humour. 'Zipi and Zape' mischievous twin brothers, whose mischiefs are a little innocent nowadays, were very famous too. A little more modern is 'Super López', a charismatic Spanish style version of Superman
