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). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and relatively high unemployment.
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates
40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references
Europe
Area
total
504,782 sq km
land
499,542 sq km
water
5,240 sq km
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
Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries
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
Coastline
4,964 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
24 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
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 in north
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land
Land use
arable land
27.18%
permanent crops
9.85%
other
62.97% (2005)
Irrigated land
37,800 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues
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
Environment - international agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, 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
signed, but not ratified
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
97.9%
male
98.7%
female
97.2% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form
Spain
local long form
Reino de Espana
local short form
Espana
Government type
parliamentary monarchy
Capital
name
Madrid
geographic coordinates
40 24 N, 3 41 W
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
note
Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands
Administrative divisions
17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)
Independence
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
National holiday
National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas
Constitution
approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system
civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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 (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)
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, but its recommendations are non-binding
elections
the monarchy 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 on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
election results
Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%
Legislative branch
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)
elections: Senate - last held on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); Congress of Deputies - last held on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE 38%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, PNV 2.8%, CC 2.4%, CiU 2%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, PNV 6, CiU 4, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, IU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, CC 0.9%, other 7.5%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 5, CC 3, other 5
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders
Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Paulino RIVERO Baute] (a coalition of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition of four Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo] (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders
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; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.
International organization participation
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP
chancery
2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone
[1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
FAX
[1] (202) 833-5670
consulate(s) general
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.
embassy
Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address
PSC 61, APO AE 09642
telephone
[34] (91) 587-2200
FAX
[34] (91) 587-2303
consulate(s) general
Barcelona
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
Economy - overview
The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990 averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 8.1%. Growth averaging 3% annually during 2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strong economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing significant downside risks remain including Spain's continued loss of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the country's changing demographic profile, and a decline in EU structural funds.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.109 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.084 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$27,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
3.9%
industry
29.4%
services
66.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force
21.77 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
5.3%
industry
30.1%
services
64.6% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
8.1% (October 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
19.8% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.8%
highest 10%
25.2% (1990)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
32.5 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$488.2 billion
expenditures
$475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt
39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
Industrial production growth rate
0.6% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
263.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
50.4%
hydro
18.2%
nuclear
27.2%
other
4.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
241.8 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
11.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
8.3 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
135,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports
1.582 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves
10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production
339 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
-$98.6 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
Exports - partners
France 18.9%, Germany 11%, Portugal 8.9%, Italy 8.6%, UK 7.8%, US 4.5% (2006)
Imports
$324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments
Imports - partners
Germany 14.7%, France 13.2%, Italy 8.1%, UK 5%, Netherlands 4.8%, China 4.8% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$17 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - donor
ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)
Currency (code)
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
Currency code
EUR
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
18.322 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
41.328 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic
NA
international
country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations
AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
224 (plus 2,105 repeaters; includes 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands) (1995)
Televisions
16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code
.es
Internet hosts
2.521 million (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
56 (2000)
Internet users
19.205 million (2006)
Airports
157 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
96
over 3,047 m
16
2,438 to 3,047 m
10
1,524 to 2,437 m
20
914 to 1,523 m
24
under 914 m
26 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
61
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
15
under 914 m
44 (2006)
Heliports
8 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)
Railways
total
14,873 km
broad gauge
11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
standard gauge
998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)
narrow gauge
1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways
total
666,292 km
paved
659,629 km (includes 12,009 km of expressways)
unpaved
6,663 km (2003)
Waterways
1,000 km (2003)
Merchant marine
total
169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27, liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned
36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7)
registered in other countries
112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4, Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna, Tarragona, Valencia
Military branches
Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 20-49
9,366,588
females age 20-49
9,155,057 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 20-49
7,623,356
females age 20-49
7,434,465 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
233,384
females age 20-49
221,805 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.2% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz
Illicit drugs
despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime
