Country profile

 

LOCATION

Spain is located in the Iberian Peninsula southwest of Europe, his capital is Madrid. It borders Portugal, Gibraltar, Andorra, France, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. POPULATION In 2008 the population of Spain officially reached 46 million people. The population of this country is almost our country population. The population of Spain has been doubled since 1900, when it stood at 18.6 million, principally due to the spectacular demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s.

LANDSCAPE

Spain is a mountainous country, dominated by high plateaus and mountain chains. After the Pyrenees, the main mountain ranges are the Cordillera Cantábrica, Sistema Ibérico, Sistema Central, Montes de Toledo, Sierra Morena and the Sistema Penibético whose highest peak, the 3,478 m high Mulhacén, located in Sierra Nevada, is the highest elevation in the Iberian peninsula, while the highest point in Spain is the Teide, a 3,718-metre active volcano in the Canary Islands. There are several major rivers in Spain such as the Tagus, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia.

CURRENCY

The currency is common for all the countries of the Europe Union: Euro

WEATHER

The Mediterranean climate, characterized by dry and warm summers. The semiarid climate, located in the southeastern quarter of the country, especially in the region of Murcia and in the Ebro valley. In contrast with the Mediterranean climate, the dry season extends beyond the summer. The oceanic climate, located in north quarter of the country, especially in the region of Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria and partly Galicia. In contrary to the Mediterranean climate, winter and summer temperatures are influenced by the ocean.

GOVERNMENT

Spain is a democracy organized in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy. The prime minister is Mariano Rajoy and the King is Juan Carlos I.

TOURIST ATRACCTIONS

The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao This museum is a design staged by Frank O. Gehry's. The museum opened its doors in October 1997 and is considered one of the most important architectural structures of the 20th century.

Córdoba y la Mezquita Founded by the Romans, the city of Cordoba has a variety of treasures: a mosque-cathedral, the Fortaleza de la Calahorra, and the Jewish synagogue, which is now a museum.

 

La Alhambra de Granada. The Alhambra is a Moorish palace-fortress. The palace complex is huge and takes up a large part of the city. The Alhambra is considered one of the largest representations of Islamic art and architecture. The Alhambra offers a variety of attractions within itself as the Alcazaba, the palace of the fort offers spectacular views of the city.

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona It is a Gaudi's unfinished cathedral. Work began on the cathedral in 1882. He lived and worked in the cathedral until his death in 1926 and the cathedral was never completed. The building has a Gothic look transform made by Gaudí, including walls, arches and pillars.

Las Ramblas, Barcelona Las Ramblas is especially used for pedestrians and offers outdoor markets, shops, cafes and restaurants. You can spend all day walking around and looking for hidden treasures, and sampling fine cuisine all that Spain has to offer.

FOOD

Cod is a fundamental element of Basque cuisine and can be cooked in various ways: "the Bilbao", "green sauce" or "pil pil". This last recipe is simple but tasty and is characterized by olive oil as a key element in their preparation.

Churros at breakfast are a tradition that dates back to the early nineteenth century. They say that in the carnivals was unveiled where this unique product takes this sweet fried for breakfast or snack on holidays. They can be eaten alone or before soaking them in a cup of hot chocolate.

The chickpea stew, also called Madrid stew is a popular dish in Spanish tables for its strong flavor and adds significant value to the calorie and protein diet. Its origin comes from the ancient historic Jewish recipe that is prepared on Friday in a covered pot to respect the sabbath, as it was left overnight cooking to be served the next day without lighting the fire respecting religious rest. The Christianization of the dish back pork added. Roast lamb is a very typical dish in areas such as Burgos and Segovia Castilla. The lamb is also traditional to prepare for the holidays throughout the entire country. His tender and soft meat is one of the attractions of this dish, more if the lamb is still suckling.

Paella valenciana The paella, a typical dish of the region of Valencia, has become perhaps the most typical recipe of Spanish cuisine. This dish is named after the utensil in which it is made, as it is known paella in Valencia area to a wider type of pan without handle and two handles. There are many ways to flavor the paella rice to accompany. This recipe uses the typical products of Valencia and meat, no seafood, although the latter method may be better known.

MUSIC

Spanish music is often considered abroad to be synonymous with flamenco, a West Andalusian musical genre, which, contrary to popular belief, is not very common outside that region. Various regional styles of folk music abound in Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, Castile, the Basque Country, Galicia and Asturias.

SPORTS

Sport in Spain has been dominated by soccer since the early 20th century. Real Madrid C.F. and FC Barcelona are two of the most successful soccer clubs in the world.

ART

Artists from Spain have been highly influential in the development of various European artistic movements like Moorish, Baroque and Neoclassicism. We have to recognize important artists, writers of the country like Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Francisco de Goya and Diego Velasquez.

RELIGION

Roman Catholicism is the main religion in Spain. In all public schools in Spain, students have to choose either religion or ethics and Catholic is the only religion officially taught. Research about 71% of Spaniards self-identify as Catholics. The recent waves of immigration have also led to an increasing number of Muslims, who number approximately one million in Spain. Presently, Islam is the second largest religion in Spain, accounting for approximately 2.3% of the total population.

HISTORY

The Iberian Peninsula enters written records as a land populated largely by the Iberians, Basques and Celts. After an arduous conquest, the peninsula came under the rule of Rome. During the early Middle Ages it came under Germanic rule but later, it was conquered by Moorish invaders from North Africa. In a process that took centuries, the small Christian kingdoms in the north gradually regained control of the peninsula. The last Moorish kingdom fell in the same year Columbus reached the Americas. A global empire began which saw Spain become the strongest kingdom in Europe and the leading world power for a century and a half and the largest overseas empire for three centuries. Continued wars and other problems eventually led to a diminished status. The Napoleonic invasions of Spain led to chaos, triggering independence movements that tore apart most of the empire and left the country politically unstable. Prior to the Second World War, Spain suffered a devastating civil war and came under the rule of an authoritarian government, whose rule oversaw a period of stagnation but that finished with a powerful economic surge. Eventually democracy was peacefully restored in the form of a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. In 1986, Spain joined the European Union, experiencing a cultural renaissance and steady economic growth.