Spain country profile

28 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 05 January 2008

Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament. The Kingdom of Spain has been a member state of the European Union since 1986.

Reino de España

High plateaux and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada dominate mainland Spain. Running from these heights are several major rivers such as the Ebro, the Duero, the Tagus and the Guadalquivir. The Balearic Islands lie offshore in the Mediterranean while the Canary Islands are to be found off the African coast.

Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament, the Cortes or National Assembly. Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia have special status with their own language and other rights under the constitution of 1978 which enshrines respect for linguistic and cultural diversity within a united Spain. The country is divided into 17 autonomous communities (regions) which all have their own directly elected authorities.

Spain’s main economic sectors include agriculture (especially fruit and vegetables, olive oil and wine), fish, textiles, automobiles and tourism.

From Velázquez in the 17th century, through Goya in the 18th and 19th, to Picasso, Dali and Miro in the 20th, Spain has a rich artistic culture. Spanish Flamenco music and dance are widely admired around the world while Cervantes' novel Don Quixote is one of the landmarks of modern European literature. Spanish film directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Alejandro Amenábar and Luis Buñuel have received several international prizes.

Spanish cuisine is known for its paella (made with rice, chicken, seafood and vegetables), tortilla (omelette with potatoes) and sangria (refreshing wine served with fruit).

Area: 505 990 km²
Population: 44.39 million
Capital city: Madrid
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cent
National day: 12 October
EU-membership: 1 January 1986 (EC)

Head of State: King Juan Carlos I
Head of Government: Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Foreign Minister: Miguel Ángel Moratinos

GDP: € 976 billion (2006)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 22 152 (2006)
Economic growth in real terms: + 3.9% (2006)

Links:
Head of State: http://www.casareal.es
Head of Government: http://www.mpr.es
Head of Government: http://www.la-moncloa.es
Foreign Minister: http://www.mae.es
Parliament: http://www.congreso.es

Map of Spain


Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency, World Factbook