Statistical information Spain 1989

Spain in the World
Spain - Introduction 1989
top of pageBackground: A powerful world empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain ultimately yielded command of the seas to England, beginning with the defeat of the Armada in 1588. Spain subsequently failed to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions and fell behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II. In the second half of the 20th century Spain played a catch-up role in the western international community. Continuing problems are large-scale unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries:
1,903.2 km total
Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km
Coastline: 4,964 km
Maritime claims: Extended economic zone:200 nm Territorial sea:12 nm
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
ElevationNatural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower
Land use: 31% arable land; 10% permanent crops; 21% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 6% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
top of pagePopulation: 39,417,220 (July 1989), growth rate 0.5% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Spaniard(s; adjective - Spanish
Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Languages: Castilian Spanish; second languages include 17% Catalan, 7% Galician, and 2% Basque
Religions: 99% Roman Catholic, 1% other sects
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 13 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; desertification; air pollution
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 11 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 80 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 97%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Spanish State
Government type: parliamentary monarchy
Capital: Madrid
Administrative divisions: 50 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia; Alava, Albacete, Alicante, Almeria, Avila, Badajoz, Baleares, Barcelona, Burgos, Caceres, Cadiz, Castellon, Ciudad Real, Cordoba, Cuenca, Gerona, Granada, Guadalajara, Guipuzcoa, Huelva, Huesca, Jaen, La Coruna, Las Palmas, Leon, Lerida, Logrono, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Navarra, Orense, Oviedo, Palencia, Pontevedra, Salamanca, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santander, Segovia, Sevilla, Soria, Tarragona, Teruel, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, Vizcaya, Zamora, Zaragoza
Dependent areasIndependence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)
National holiday: National Day, 12 October
Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; Constitution provides for rule of law, established jury system as well as independent constitutional court to rule on constitutionality of laws and serve as court of last resort in protecting liberties and rights granted in Constitution; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
Executive branchLegislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: Andean Pact (observer), ASSIMER, CCC, Council of Europe, EC, ESA, ESO, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, ITC, ITU, IWC - International Wheat Council, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Julian SANTAMARIA; Chancery at 2,700 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20,009; telephone (202) 265-0190 or 0191; there are Spanish Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico; US - Ambassador Reginald BARTHOLOMEW; Embassy at Serrano 75, Madrid 6 (mailing address is APO New York 9,285; telephone Õ34å (1) 276-3,400 or 3,600; there is a US Consulate General in Barcelona and a Consulate in Bilbao
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy has done well since Spain joined the European Economic Community in 1986. With an estimated 5.5% increase in real GDP in 1987, economic growth was double the average for the EEC. Increased investment (up 14.4%) was the most important factor pushing the economic expansion. Inflation moderated to 5.3%, in line with efforts to move inflation down to the EEC average of 3.2%. The most serious economic problem facing Spain is an unemployment rate of 20.6%, the highest in Europe.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: grains, citrus, fruits, vegetables, wine grapes; virtually self-sufficient in good crop years
Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate: 4.0% (1988 est.)
Labor force:
14,200,000; 52%
services, 24%
industry, 16% agriculture, 8% construction (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20.6% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $57.8 billion; expenditures $66.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $10.4 billion (1987)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $34.2 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: foodstuffs, live animals, wood, footwear, machinery, chemicals
Partners: EC 64%, Switzerland 11%, US 8%, Middle East, Japan, Portugal
Imports: $49.1 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: petroleum, footwear, machinery, chemicals, grain, soybeans, coffee, tobacco, iron and steel, timber, cotton, transport equipment
Partners: EC 55%, Mexico 10%, US 8%, Middle East, USSR
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $30.6 billion (1987)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 114.69 (January 1989), 116.49 (1988), 123.48 (1987), 140.05 (1986), 170.04 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 45,189,000 kW capacity; 149,565 million kWh produced, 3,810 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaSpain - Communication 1989
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $7.3 billion, 8.7% of central government budget (1988 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsSpain - Transportation 1989
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 111 total, 104 usable; 61 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 29 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: 265 km crude oil; 1,794 km refined products; 1,666 km natural gas
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance
Merchant marine: 363 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,844,001 GRT/6,693,143 DWT; includes 5 passenger, 8 short-sea passenger, 133 cargo, 25 refrigerated cargo, 19 container, 23 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 52 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 20 chemical tanker, 15 liquefied gas, 1 specialized tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 54 bulk, 5 vehicle carrier
Ports and terminalsSpain - Transnational issues 1989
top of pageDisputes international: Gibraltar question with UK; controls two presidios (places of sovereignty), which are Ceuta and Melilla, on the north coast of Morocco
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs