Map of Spain | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. 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 illegal immigration and slowing economic growth.


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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 reference: Europe

Area
Total: 504,782 km²
Land: 499,542 km²
Water: 5,240 km²
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
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries
Total: 1,917.8 km
Border countries: (5) 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
Extremes 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 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 111.1 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Geography
Note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar


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Population: 40,491,052 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.096% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Spaniard
Adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74% Catalan 17% Galician 7% Basque 2% are official regionally

Religions: Roman Catholic 94% other 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,011,815/female 2,832,788)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 13,741,493/female 13,641,914)
65 years and over: 17.9% (male 3,031,597/female 4,231,444) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 40.7 years
Male: 39.3 years
Female: 42.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.096% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 9.87 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 9.9 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.99 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.26 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.65 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.85 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.92 years
Male: 76.6 years
Female: 83.45 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 140,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 1000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2005)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.9%
Male: 98.7%
Female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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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
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)

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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 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 Mira (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 9 and 11 April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
Election results: Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO reelected President of the Government; percent of National Assembly vote - 46.94%

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); Congress of Deputies - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 101, PSOE 88, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 2, CC 1, members appointed by regional legislatures 56; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.6%, PP 40.1%, CiU 3.1%, PNV 1.2%, ERC 1.2%, other 10.8%; seats by party - PSOE 169, PP 154, CiU 10, PNV 6, ERC 3, other 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders: Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Inigo URKULLU]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Jose Torres STINGA] (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)

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional members) AfDB (nonregional members) Arctic Council (observer) 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 MINURCAT MONUC NAM (guest) NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA Schengen Convention SECI (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL Union Latina UNRWA UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WEU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge DEZCALLAR de Mazarredo
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, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.
From the us embassy: Serrano 75, 28,006 Madrid
From the us mailing address: PSC 61, 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 is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left Castile Leon Navarre and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing 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 red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of 'Plus Ultra' (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 equal to that of the leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President Jose Maria 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 7.6%. Growth averaging more than 3% annually during 2003-07 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.361 trillion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 3.8% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $33,600 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.6%
Industry: 30.2%
Services: 66.1% (2007 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 clay and refractory products footwear pharmaceuticals medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 22.19 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 5.3%
By occupation industry: 30.1%
By occupation services: 64.6% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.3% (2007 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 32 (2005)

Budget
Revenues: $588.5 billion
Expenditures: $556.5 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 36.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.89% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $3.177 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $960 billion (2005)

Current account balance: -$145.3 billion (2007 est.)

Exports: $256.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery motor vehicles; foodstuffs pharmaceuticals medicines other consumer goods
Partners: France 18.8% Germany 10.8% Portugal 8.6% Italy 8.5% UK 7.6% US 4.2% (2007)

Imports: $380.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment fuels chemicals semifinished goods foodstuffs consumer goods measuring and medical control instruments
Partners: Germany 15.7% France 12.7% Italy 8.4% China 5.8% UK 4.8% Netherlands 4.6% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $19.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $1.084 trillion (30 June 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $568.8 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $681.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006) 0.8041 (2005) 0.8054 (2004) 0.886 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: 287.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption: 254.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 14.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 8.773 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 88 million m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 34.43 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 34.47 billion m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.548 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 18.583 million (2007)
Mobile cellular: 48.813 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: well developed, modern facilities; fixed-line teledensity is about 45 per 100 persons
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 170 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 34; submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, Middle East, Asia, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .es
Hosts: 3.264 million (2008)
Users: 19.69 million (2007)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age (2004)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 154 (2007)
With paved runways total: 96
With paved runways over 3047 m: 18
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 18
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 25
With paved runways under 914 m: 24 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 58
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 42 (2007)

Heliports: 8 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 7,858 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,445 km (2007)

Railways
Total: 14,974 km
Broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
Standard gauge: 1,099 km 1.435-m gauge (1,054 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 681,224 km
Paved: 681,224 km (includes 13,872 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways: 1000 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 158
By type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 11, container 22, liquefied gas 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5
Foreign owned: 26 (Canada 3, Canada 1, Denmark 2, Germany 5, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 5, UK 3, UK 2)
Registered in other countries: 110 (Angola 1, Argentina 2, Bahamas 14, Belize 1, Brazil 9, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 6, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 50, Portugal 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, UK 1, Uruguay 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Algeciras Barcelona Bilbao Cartagena Huelva Tarragona Valencia


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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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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