Statistical information Spain 1999

Spain in the World
Spain - Introduction 1999
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 pageLocation: 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 reference:
EuropeAreaTotal: 504,750 km²
Land: 499,400 km²
Water: 5,350 km²
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, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundariesTotal: 1,919.1 km
Border countries: (5) Andorra 65 km;
, France 623 km;
, Gibraltar 1.2 km;
, Portugal 1,214 km;
, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km;
, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 kmCoastline: 4,964 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower
Land useArable land: 30%
Permanent crops: 9%
Permanent pastures: 21%
Forests and woodland: 32%
Other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 34,530 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: periodic droughts
GeographyNote: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
top of pagePopulation: 39,167,744 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Spaniard(s)
Adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 15% (male 3,012,907; female 2,835,455)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,411,046; female 13,406,214)
65 years and over: 17% (male 2,702,654; female 3,799,468) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.99 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.69 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 6.41 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 77.71 years
Male: 73.97 years
Female: 81.71 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96%
Male: 98%
Female: 94% (1986 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
Conventional short form: Spain
Local short form: Espana
Government type: parliamentary monarchy
Capital: Madrid
Administrative divisions: 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)
Note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco:Ceuta and Melilla are administered as autonomous communities; Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration
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; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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 Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President Francisco ALVAREZ CASCOS Fernandez (since 5 May 1996) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May 1996)
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
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; president proposed by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly following legislative elections; election last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2000); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on proposal of the president
Election results: Jose Maria AZNAR elected president; percent of National Assembly vote_NA
Legislative branch: bicameral; the General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (256 seats_208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 48 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 3 March 1996 (next to be held by April 2000); Congress of Deputies_last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by April 2000)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PP 132, PSOE 96, CiU 11, PNV 6, IU 2, others 9; Congress of Deputies_percent of vote by party_PP 38.9%, PSOE 37.5%, IU 10.7%, CiU 4.6%; seats by party_PP 156, PSOE 141, IU 21, CiU 16, other 16
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio OYARZABAL MARCHESI
In the us chancery: 2,375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2,340
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 833-5,670
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edward L. ROMERO
From the us embassy: Serrano 75, 28,006 Madrid
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,642
From the us telephone: [34] (91) 587-2,200
From the us FAX: [34] (91) 587-2,303
From the us consulates 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is three-fourths that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency on 1 January 1999. The deficit-to-GDP ratio is 2.1%, the debt-to-GDP ratio is around 68%, and inflation is approximately 2%. Moreover, the AZNAR administration has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment, nonetheless, remains the highest in the EU at 20%. The government, for political reasons, has made only limited progress in changing labor laws or reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. Adjustment to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe will pose difficult challenges to Spain in the next few years.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $16,500 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 3.4%
Industry: 33.3%
Services: 63.3% (1997 est.)
Agriculture products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish
Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (1998)
Labor force: 16.2 million
By occupation services: 64%
By occupation and construction: 28%
By occupation agriculture: 8% (1997est.)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1998 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $113 billion
Expenditures: $139 billion, including capital expenditures of $15 billion (1995)
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: $111.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: cars and trucks, other machinery and manufactured goods, foodstuffs, and other consumer goods
Partners: EU 70% (France 20%, Germany 18%, Italy 10%, Portugal 9%, UK 8%), US 4.4% (1997)
Imports: $132.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1997)
Partners: EU 65% (France 17%, Germany 15%, Italy 9%, UK 8%, Benelux 7%), US 6%, Japan 3% (1997)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $90 billion (1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: pesetas (Ptas) per US$1_143.39 (January 1999), 149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994)
Note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 166.386 pesetas per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
top of pageElectricityProduction: 163.468 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 43.17%
Production by source hydro: 23.92%
Production by source nuclear: 32.74%
Production by source other: 0.17% (1996)
Consumption: 164.568 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 5.7 billion kWh (1996)
Imports: 6.8 billion kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaSpain - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 12.6 million (1990 est.)
Telephone system: generally adequate, modern facilities
Domestic: NA
International: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat, NA Inmarsat, and NA Marecs; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $6.3 billion (1995)
Percent of gdp: 1.4% (1995)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsSpain - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 99 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 66
With paved runways over 3047 m: 15
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
With paved runways under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 33
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km
RailwaysTotal: 15,079 km
Broad gauge: 12,781 km 1.668-m gauge (6,355 km electrified; 2,295 km double track)
Standard gauge: 525 km 1.435-m gauge (480 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 1,773 km 1.000-m gauge (594 km electrified) (1996)
RoadwaysWaterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance
Merchant marineTotal: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,094,408 GRT/1,695,708 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 29, chemical tanker 10, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 25, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 35, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsSpain - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: Gibraltar issue with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco_the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin