SPAIN OVERVIEW

Geography:

Capital- Madrid
Size in sq. km/sq. miles- 505,370 sq km
Neighboring countries- France, Portugal, Andorra
Climate- mild; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Natural disasters- earthquakes and hurricanes in the Canaries
Natural Resources- coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, mercury

Social Dimensions:

Population- 40,525,002 people
Life expectancy - 80 years
Ethnic groups- composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religious groups and percentages- Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages spoken in order of prevalence- Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
Literacy rate (% over age 15 who can read and write)- 97.9%
Average income- $18,670/ year

Political Snapshot:

Independence/National Day - October 12 (Columbus in America)
Key events in political history and years they occurred- 1479: Isabella and Ferdinand
Leader/president - Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
Political parties- Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, Communist Party of Spain, Popular Alliance, Democratic and Social Center
Current political situation- prime minister is the head of the government, 17 autonomous regions
Political system- parliamentary monarchy

Economic Snapshot:

GDP (gross domestic product): agriculture 3.4%, industry: 29%, services 67.6%
Unemployment rate: 13.9%
Percentage living below poverty line: 19.8%
Main 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
Main imports: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments, oil, natural gas
Main exports: machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
Currency: Euro
Exchange rate: 1($) : 1.4 (Euro)

Entertainment Snapshot:

Country's favorite sport: Futbol
Other sports played: Cycling, Golf, Tennis
Traditional forms of music: Flamenco
Favorite foods: Tapas, Seafoods, Cuisines
Other forms of entertainment: Bullfighting