Facts About Spain

Dennis Raymond P. Maturan

Background

 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..
Background

 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, it has played a
catch-up role in the
western international
community. Continuing
concerns are large-scale
unemployment and the
Basque separatist
movement.
 Geography

Southwestern
Europe,
bordering the
Bay of Biscay,
Mediterranean
Sea, North
Atlantic Ocean,
and Pyrenees
Mountains,
southwest of
France
 Area

 total: 504,782 sq km
land: 499,542 sq km
water: 5,240 sq km
note: includes Balearic
Islands, Canary Islands,
and five places of
sovereignty (plazas de
soberania) on and off the
coast of Morocco - Ceuta,
Melilla, Islas Chafarinas,
Peñon de Alhucemas, and
Peñon de Velez de la
Gomera
 slightly more than twice
the size of Oregon
 Land boundaries

 total: 1,917.8 km

border
countries: Andorr
a 63.7 km, France
623 km, Gibraltar
1.2 km, Portugal
1,214 km,
Morocco (Ceuta)
6.3 km, Morocco
(Melilla) 9.6 km
 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

Coastline :
4,964 km
Natural resources

coal, lignite, iron

ore, uranium,
mercury, pyrites,
fluorspar,
gypsum, zinc,
lead, tungsten,
copper, kaolin,
potash,
hydropower,
arable land
People

Population:
47.36M 46.56million
(2016 est.)
Nationality:

a)noun:
Spaniard (s)
b)adjective:
Spanish
People

 Religions:
Roman Catholic
69%, other 31%
 Languages:
Castilian/Castella
no = Spanish
(official) 74%,
Catalan 17%,
Galician/Gallego
7%, Vascuence=
Basque 2%
 Country name

 conventional long
form: Kingdom
of Spain

conventional
short
form: Spain

local short
form: España
 Capital: Madrid
 Government type

 parliamentary
monarchy
 17 autonomous
communities
(comunidades autonomas,
singular - comunidad
autonoma); Andalucia,
Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
(Balearic Islands),
Canarias (Canary Islands),
Cantabria, Castilla-La
Mancha, Castilla y Leon,
Cataluna, Communidad
Valencian, Extremadura,
Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid,
Murcia, Navarra, Pais
Vasco (Basque Country)
 Executive branch

 chief of state: King

JUAN CARLOS I (since
22 November 1975);
succeeded by King
FELIPE VI (June 19,
2014), son of the
monarch, born 30
January 1968
head of
government: Prime
Minister and
President of the
Government Pedro
Sánchez Pérez-
 Castejón
 Executive branch

 cabinet: Council of
Ministers
designated by the
president
note: there is also
a Council of State
that is the
supreme consulta
tive organ of the
government
 Executive branch

 elections: the
monarch is hereditary;
president proposed by
the monarch and
elected by the National
Assembly following
legislative elections;
election last held 12
March 2000 (next to
be held NA March
2004); vice presidents
appointed by the
monarch on proposal
of the president
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.
The Spanish Royal Family

HIS MAJESTY
EMERITUS KING
JUAN CARLOS I
DE BORBÓN
The Spanish Royal Family

HER MAJESTY
QUEEN MOTHER
SOFIA OF SPAIN
The Spanish Royal Family

HIS MAJESTY
KING FELIPE VI
DE BORBON AND
WIFE QUEEN
LETIZIA ORTIZ
The Spanish Royal Family

INFANTA
LEONOR, CROWN
PRINCESS OF
ASTURIAS
The Spanish Royal Family

INFANTA SOFIA
The Spanish Royal Family

LA INFANTA
DOÑA ELENA DE
BORBÓN
The Spanish Royal Family

LA INFANTA
DOÑA CRISTINA
DE BORBÓN
The Prime Minister of Spain and
President of the Government

PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejónis

a Spanish economist and
politician serving as Prime
Minister of Spain since 2 June
2018. He is also Secretary-
General of the Spanish Socialist
Workers' Party, holding office
for the second time after
winning a leadership election in
June 2017