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Introduction | Spain

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). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Geography | Spain

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 references: | Europe
Area: | total: 504,782 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are 19 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 land: 499,542 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries: | total: 1,917.8 km border countries: 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 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: 26.07% permanent crops: 9.87% other: 64.06% (2001)
Irrigated land: | 36,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | periodic droughts
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
Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note: | strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People | Spain

Population: | 40,280,780 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,989,053; female 2,811,350) 15-64 years: 68% (male 13,748,998; female 13,652,852) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,958,387; female 4,120,140) (2004 est.)
Median age: | total: 39.1 years male: 37.8 years female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.16% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: | 10.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: | 9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.37 years male: 76.03 years female: 82.94 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 130,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups: | composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions: | Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages: | Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government | Spain

Country name: | conventional 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)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: three small Spanish possessions of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all located off the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)
Independence: | the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem 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
Constitution: | 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system: | civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 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 (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 election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29% elections: the monarch 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 14 March 2004 (next to be held NA March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
Legislative branch: | bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 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) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE 38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC 1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%, CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 2, CC 3, other 8 elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008)
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders: | Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute]; 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 y LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA) [leader NA]; Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mas (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)
International organization participation: | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Robert MANZANARES embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) 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

Economy | Spain

Economy - overview: | Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President 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 11.7%. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. Incoming President RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, whose party won the election three days after the Madrid train bombings in March, plans to reduce government intervention in business, combat tax fraud, and support innovation, research and development, but also intends to reintroduce labor market regulations that had been scrapped by the AZNAR government. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $885.5 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3.6% industry: 28.6% services: 67.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 25.6% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: | NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 32.5 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3% (2003 est.)
Labor force: | 18.82 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 7%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, services 64% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 11.3% (2003 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $330.7 billion expenditures: $335.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2003 est.)
Public debt: | 62.7% of GDP (2003)
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: | 1.6% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: | 222.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 210.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 4.138 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 7.588 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | 135,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: | 1.582 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: | 10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: | 516 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: | $-23.77 billion (2003)
Exports: | $159.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: | machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods
Exports - partners: | France 19.2%, Germany 11.9%, Italy 9.7%, UK 9.4%, Portugal 9.3%, US 4.2% (2003)
Imports: | $197.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners: | France 16.8%, Germany 16.6%, Italy 8.8%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 4.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: | $26.81 billion (2003)
Debt - external: | $718.4 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)
Currency: | euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member countries
Currency code: | EUR
Exchange rates: | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Spain

Telephones - main lines in use: | 17,567,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 37,506,700 (2003)
Telephone system: | general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons domestic: NA international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: | 13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
Televisions: | 16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code: | .es
Internet hosts: | 1,056,950 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 56 (2000)
Internet users: | 9.789 million (2003)

Transportation | Spain

Railways: | total: 14,268 km (7,718 km electrified) broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified) standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge (526 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,910 km 1.000-m gauge (755 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2003)
Highways: | total: 663,795 km paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)
Waterways: | 1,045 km (2003)
Pipelines: | gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: | Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, A Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo
Merchant marine: | total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551 DWT by type: bulk 9, cargo 29, chemical tanker 13, container 17, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea/passenger 7, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 7 registered in other countries: 115 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Chile 1, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Sweden 1, Uruguay 1
Airports: | 156 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 95 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)
Heliports: | 8 (2003 est.)

Military | Spain

Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Marines
Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 20 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 10,482,753 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 8,336,273 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 245,007 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $9,906.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues | Spain

Disputes - international: | since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year old UK colony have stalled; 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 area of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Morocco rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss a comprehensive maritime delimitation; some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to territories ceded to Spain around the town of Olivenza
Illicit drugs: | key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money laundering site for European earnings of Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005