The majority of Spaniards are Catholic, though Spain is a secular state.

For over 300 years, most of

Spain was Muslim. Parts of Spain were under Muslim rule until 1492 when the last Moorish
king fell (in Granada).
Spain
Official name: The Kingdom of Spain
Capital of Spain: Madrid
Top 3 Largest cities in Spain: Madrid 5.9 million inhabitants, Barcelona 5.3 million inhabitants,
Valencia 1.6 million inhabitants.
Population size: 44,7 million in 2006.
Density: 88,39 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Size: 506,000M square meters (Spain is the second largest country in Europe after France).
Mean Altitude: 600 m. (which makes Spain the second highest country in Europe after Switzerland).
Highest Point: Pico de Teide in Tenerife 3,719 m.
Tourism: Over 52 million tourists visit Spain each year, Spain is in the top 3 most visited countries in
the world.
Foreigners Living in Spain: officially there were 3.7 million foreign residents in 2005. Independent
organisations such as Red Cross put the number at 4.8 million.
Political Structure: Parliamentary monarchy (since 1978).
Regions: Spain is made up of 17 autonomous regions.
Time zone: +1 GMT except Canary Islands +2 GMT.
Currency: The introduction of the Euro in 2002 replaced the former Spanish Peseta.
Economy size: eighth largest economy worldwide with a Gross Domestic Product just over 1 trillion
euros.
Gross Domestic Product per Capita: €27,767 per year, 25th on world ranking
Religion: approximately 90% of the population are Catholic and there is freedom of religion in Spain.
Measures: Weight measured in kilograms, distances measured by the metric system, temperature
measured in degrees Celsius.
Spanish Gastronomy: typical for Spain is its Paella read more about Spains Gastronomy in our
Spanish Food section.
History: to read extensively about the history of Spain please see the section history of Spain
Emergency numbers: They are all toll-free. General emergency services 112. Ambulance 061. Fire
service 080. National police 091 (this number is used when there is serious trouble). Municipal police
092. Civil guard 062.
Telephone country code: (00)34
Opening hours: in most of Spain the siesta is honoured, but the hours differ between regions. Stores
open around 9am and close around one for the siesta, stores then open again around 5pm. More to
the south the the stores open later and therefore the siesta starts around half past 2pm.
Opening hours banks: In general banks are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm and on
Saturday until 1pm.
Public transportation: Taking the bus is by far the cheapest way of transportation. You can get a city
bus ride for only €0,95 and if you buy a card where you can buy prepaid rides for they are only
€0,59. Taking the bus from city to city is far cheaper than travelling by train, e.g., the busride of 6
hours from Malaga to Madrid is approximately 20 euros while a train can cost up to an astonishing
150 euros. Taxi's are reasonably priced; a 5 minute city ride costs around 3 euro.
Language: Spanish (Catalan, Valencian, Gallego, Euskera are independent languages spoken in
Catalonia, Valencia, Galicia and The Basque Country).
Little History of Spain

Spain’s Iberian Peninsula has been settled for

millennia. In fact, some of Europe's most
impressive Paleolithic cultural sites are located
in Spain, including the famous caves at Altamira
that contain spectacular paintings dating from
about 15,000 to 25,000 years ago. The Basques,
Europe’s oldest surviving group, are also the
first identifiable people of the peninsula. 

Beginning in the ninth century BC, Phoenicians,

Greeks, Carthaginians, and Celts entered the
Iberian Peninsula. The Romans followed in the
second century BC and laid the groundwork for
Spain's present language, religion, and laws.
Although the Visigoths arrived in the fifth
century AD, the last Roman strongholds along
the southern coast did not fall until the seventh
century AD. In 711, North African Moors sailed
across the straits, swept into Andalusia, and
within a few years, pushed the Visigoths up the
peninsula to the Cantabrian Mountains. The
Reconquest—efforts to drive out the Moors—
lasted until 1492. By 1512, the unification of
present-day Spain was complete. 

During the 16th century, Spain became the most

powerful nation in Europe, due to the immense
wealth derived from its presence in the
Americas. But a series of long, costly wars and
revolts, capped by the defeat by the English of
the “Invincible Armada” in 1588, began a steady
decline of Spanish power in Europe.
Controversy over succession to the throne
consumed the country during the 18th century,
leading to an occupation by France during the
Napoleonic era in the early 1800s, and led to a
series of armed conflicts throughout much of the
19th century. 

The 19th century saw the revolt and

independence of most of Spain's colonies in the
Western Hemisphere: three wars over the
succession issue; the brief ousting of the
monarchy and establishment of the First
Republic (1873-74); and, finally, the Spanish-
American War (1898), in which Spain lost
Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the
United States. A period of dictatorial rule (1923-
31) ended with the establishment of the Second
Republic. It was dominated by increasing
political polarization, culminating in the leftist
Popular Front electoral victory in 1936.
Pressures from all sides, coupled with growing
and unchecked violence, led to the outbreak of
the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. 

Following the victory of his nationalist forces in

1939, General Francisco Franco ruled a nation
exhausted politically and economically. Spain
was officially neutral during World War II but
followed a pro-Axis policy. Therefore, the
victorious Allies isolated Spain at the beginning
of the postwar period, and the country did not
join the United Nations until 1955. In 1959,
under an International Monetary Fund
stabilization plan, the country began liberalizing
trade and capital flows, particularly foreign
direct investment. 

Despite the success of economic liberalization,

Spain remained the most closed economy in
Western Europe—judged by the small measure
of foreign trade to economic activity—and the
pace of reform slackened during the 1960s as
the state remained committed to “guiding” the
economy. Nevertheless, in the 1960s and 1970s,
Spain was transformed into a modern industrial
economy with a thriving tourism sector. Its
economic expansion led to improved income
distribution and helped develop a large middle
class. Social changes brought about by
economic prosperity and the inflow of new ideas
helped set the stage for Spain's transition to
democracy during the latter half of the 1970s. 

Upon the death of General Franco in November

1975, Franco's personally designated heir Prince
Juan Carlos de Borbon y Borbon assumed the
titles of king and chief of state. Dissatisfied with
the slow pace of post-Franco liberalization, he
replaced Franco's last Prime Minister with
Adolfo Suarez in July 1976. Suarez entered
office promising that elections would be held
within one year, and his government moved to
enact a series of laws to liberalize the new
regime. Spain's first elections since 1936 to the
Cortes (Parliament) were held on June 15, 1977.
Prime Minister Suarez's Union of the
Democratic Center (UCD), a moderate center-
right coalition, won 34% of the vote and the
largest bloc of seats in the Cortes. 

Under Suarez, the new Cortes set about drafting

a democratic constitution that was
overwhelmingly approved by voters in a
national referendum in December 1978. 

Parliamentary democracy was restored

following the death of General Franco in 1975,
who had ruled since the end of the civil war in
1939. The 1978 constitution established Spain
as a parliamentary monarchy, with the prime
minister responsible to the bicameral Cortes
(Congress of Deputies and Senate) elected every
4 years. On February 23, 1981, rebel elements
among the security forces seized the Cortes and
tried to impose a military-backed government.
However, the great majority of the military
forces remained loyal to King Juan Carlos, who
used his personal authority to put down the
bloodless coup attempt. 

In October 1982, the Spanish Socialist Workers

Party (PSOE), led by Felipe Gonzalez, swept
both the Congress of Deputies and Senate,
winning an absolute majority. Gonzalez and the
PSOE ruled for the next 13 years. During that
period, Spain joined the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) and the European
Community. 

In March 1996, Jose Maria Aznar's Popular

Party (PP) won a plurality of votes. Aznar
moved to decentralize powers to the regions and
liberalize the economy, with a program of
privatization, labor market reform, and measures
designed to increase competition in selected
markets, principally telecommunications.
During Aznar's first term, Spain fully integrated
into European institutions, qualifying for the
European Monetary Union. During this period,
Spain participated, along with the United States
and other NATO allies, in military operations in
the former Yugoslavia. Spanish planes took part
in the air war against Serbia in 1999, and
Spanish armed forces and police personnel are
included in the international peacekeeping
forces in Bosnia and Kosovo. In a landslide
victory, President Aznar and the PP won
reelection in March 2000, obtaining absolute
majorities in both houses of parliament. 

Because of its experience with ETA Basque

terrorism, the Aznar government had made
fighting terrorism a top priority. After the
terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11,
2001, President Aznar became a key ally in the
fight against terrorism. Spain backed the
military action against the Taliban in
Afghanistan and took a leadership role within
the European Union (EU) in pushing for
increased international cooperation on terrorism.
The Aznar government, with a rotating seat on
the UN Security Council, supported the
intervention in Iraq. 

Spanish parliamentary elections on March 14,

2004 came only three days after a devastating
terrorist attack on Madrid commuter rail lines
that killed 191 and wounded over 1,400. With
large voter turnout, PSOE won the election and
its leader, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, took
office on April 17, 2004.  Unfortunately, the
defeat of the Aznar government and the
subsequent removal of Spanish troops from Iraq,
gave the terrorists exactly what the wanted and
rewarded them for the Madrid train attack.  It is
probable that as a result, other nations will
probably suffer terror attacks during their
electoral processes as Al Qaeda and other
groups try to influence international politics
through violence.
Bull fighting in Spain

Bull fighting is very

closely associated with
Spain and can trace its
origins back to 711 A.D.
This is when the first
bullfight took place in
celebration for the crowning of King Alfonso
VIII. It is very popular in Spain with several
thousand Spaniards flocking to their local bull-
ring each week. It is said that the total number
of people watching bullfights in Spain reaches
one million every year.

Bullfighting was originally a sport for the

aristocracy and took place on horseback. King
Felipe V took exception to the sport however
and banned the aristocracy from taking part,
believing it to be a bad example to the public.
After the ban commoners accepted the sport as
their own and, since they could not afford
horses, developed the practice of dodging the
bulls on foot, unarmed. This transformation
occurred around 1724.

So what happens during a bullfight?:

Firstly the bull is let into the ring. Then, the top
bullfighter called the Matador, watches his chief
assistant wave a bright yellow and magenta cape
in front of the bull to make it charge. He
watches this in order to determine the bull's
qualities and mood, before taking over himself.

Then a trumpet is sounded and several fighters

called Picadores weaken the bull by placing
spears into it. This takes around 10 minutes.
Another trumpet is sounded and the Matador
now removes his black winged hat and dedicates
the death of the bull to the president or the
crowd before beginning his faena.

The faena which is the most beautiful and

skillful section of the fight and where the
matador must prove his courage and artistry.
The faena consists of a running at the Matador
carrying a muleta. This is a piece of thick
crimson cloth draped over a short stick, which
can be held in either the left hand or draped over
the espada, the killing sword, which is always
held in the right hand. Usually the muleta, in left
or right hand, is first held in front of the matador
to make the bull charge and is then swung
across and away from the matador's body
hopefully taking the bull with it.

This is a show, basically a dance with death -

one wrong move and the Matador could become
impaled on the horns of the bull. It is the
Matador's job to make this dance dramatic and
enjoyable for the audience.

The faena continues until the Matador has

demonstrated his superiority over the bull. Once
this is achieved the bull is ready to be killed.

The matador stands some ten feet from the bull,

keeping the bull fixated on the muleta and aims
the espada between the shoulder blades. The
matador attacks pushing the espada over the
horns and deep between the shoulder blades. If
the sword goes in to the hilt it is an estocada but
if it hits bone it is a pinchazo or media-estocada.
An estocada usually results in the bull dropping
immediately to its knees and dying, but if the
bull fails to die the matador may take the
descabello (a sword with a short cross piece at
the end) which he stabs into the bull's neck
severing the spinal cord. The fight is over.

The matador may be awarded trophies by the

president, according to his skill in working with
the bull, which can be one or two ears from the
bull, the tail and the hoof. The crowd will often
encourage the president to award the trophies by
waving white hankerchiefs, and this waving
continues after the trophies have been awarded
in an attempt to get the matador to throw his
trophies into the crowd. The crowd in return
hurls flowers which are collected by the
matador's assistants.

Bull Running in Spain

Every year from July 7th-14th thousands pack into Pamplona to

start Spain's most famous bull-running fiesta to honour Navarre
capital's patron saint, San Fermin. Spain stages more than 3,000
fiestas (festivals) each year but the 7 days of bull-running are the
favourite in terms of spectacle and excitement.

After the daybreak of July 7th, runners (mainly young men) gather
at the bottom of Santo Domingo, which is the starting line. They
crowd together and sing to the image of San Fermin which is placed in a niche on a wall.
The song goes: "A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro
dándonos su bendición" ("We ask San Fermín, as our Patron, to guide us through the
Bull Run and give us his blessing.")

Then, as a rocket goes off, a number of fighting bulls are let out onto the streets. A
second rocket is then let off to make sure everyone knows the bulls are loose in the
street. The bulls run along the narrow street 825 metres (half a mile) to a bull ring. The
runners dash along in front of the bulls, aiming to feel the breath of the bull on their
backs, getting as close as possible - all whilst trying to avoid getting gored by their sharp
horns.

The supposed way to do this is to start off slowly when the bulls are quite a distance
behind. Then as they get nearer start running like hell! You can then go near them for a
short time, as near as you are prepared to risk it, and then quickly get out of the way.
Runners look for a gap in the fence to slip through or jump over, or a space against the
wall of the street.

When the bulls finally reach the end of the street, they go into pens and are kept until
later that day they are killed in a bullfight.

The tradition is said to have come from practicality when, in 1591 residents merely had
to herd the bulls to the bull-fighting arena. At first only the drovers were used to lead
the bulls. But it seems that at some date, the butchers guild, who had the responsibility
of buying the bulls, began to join in with the drovers and began to chase behind the
bulls and heifers up to the bull-ring from Santo Domingo street - the starting point of the
run.

As time passed the event became more and more popular and some people began to run
in front of the bulls and not behind them, as the drovers do. In 1852, a new bull-ring
was built and a new route - becoming much shorter also, because as from 1899, it was
decided to bring the bulls up to a small corral in Santo Domingo street the night before
they fight in the ring.

Originally only a few daring souls ran with the bulls but the adrenaline rush of running in
front of a 1500lb bull has since caught on. People now journey from all around the world
to run with the bulls.

Other cities in Spain also have bull running festivals if you can´t make San Fermin or
don´t like crowds. Aravaca-Pozuelo, a suburb of Madrid, for example, has a bull running
festival in late summer.

Flamenco

Flamenco is a folk art, around 200 years old. It is from Southern Spain
and is individualistic, yet structured. Song, dance and guitar are blended
into passionate rhythms which are often improvised and spontaneous.
Flamenco will have any imaginable theme, from up to date stories, to
politics, to love, to history, to humor, etc. Often however, the tragic lyrics
and tone of flamenco reflect the sufferings of the gypsy people from
whom it originated
Flamenco exists in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, the dance, and Guitarra, guitar
playing. The source of Flamenco, however, lies in the tradition of singing. The singers'
role is very important with the guitar playing an accompaniment to the song. Today the
solo guitar flamenco has developed into a separate art and is fashionably blended with
jazz, blues and pop music.

Flamenco dance has complex patterns of rhythm and sophisticated footwork with the
upper body emphasising grace and posture.

The songs of flamenco are from different regions as: Fandangos from Huelva; and
Alegrias from Cadiz. There are two main styles in Flamenco: "jondo" - the serious and
deep meaning, the cry of oppressed people; and "chico" happy, light and often
humorous. The ideal in flamenco is called "duende" (demon or elf), which is a state of
emotional involvement, group communication at a deep level and a feeling of sympathy,
between musicians, dancers and listeners.

The 'Tomatina' Tomato Fight

Surely the worlds' biggest food-fight: every year around 30,00

people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol (in the Valencia
region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes
at each other.

The festival is started with a ham-on-a-stick contest where

competitors raced up a pole to retrieve a smoked leg of ham.
When the ham is cut down, people put on eye protection and cry for tomatoes as trucks
dump the squishy produce onto the village streets. They then proceed to pelt each other
with them until all have been used up.

The festival on the last Wednesday of August is called 'the Tomatina' and is basically a
town-wide tomato fight. It is thought the tradition began in 1945 when a fight erupted
among two young members of a carnival crowd. A vegetable stall was nearby in the
town square and every started throwing tomatoes at each other. Exactly one year later,
young people met at the square, but this time with their own tomatoes. Another food-
fight started but was broken up by police.

In the following years this practice was banned by the authorities, but due to popular
demand was given official recognition in 1959. This was only to occur if participants
would respect the start and the end of tomato-throwing being announced with a banger.

Festivals in Spain

¨La Tomatina¨ - Valencia Tomato Fight Festival

August. Bunol. Valencia.
Every year around 30,00 people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol (in
the Valencia region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of
tomatoes at each other as part of the La Tomatina festival.

Tamborrada de San Sebastian/The San Sebastian Drum Festival.

January. San Sebastian, Basque Country.
A march to the deafening sounds of drums, as groups of drummers parade through the city on the
night of the first day of the year. The next morning, the "Tamborrada Infantil" (Child Drummer's
Ceremony) is celebrated.
La Endiablada/The Disguised Devils
February. Cuenca, Castilla y La Mancha.
People of this village celebrate disguised as devils in this festival of prehistoric origin. The young
boys of the town dressed as devils - wearing pants and jackets painted in bright designs, with large
cowbells tied to their waists, and multicolored paper hats, which are replaced later on with
cardboard bishop mitres - run through the streets, dance at the entrance and inside the church,
pretend to wash the statue of San Blas, and march in procession with it to the uninterrupted sound
of the cowbells.
Fallas de San Jose
March. Valencia.
This Fiesta dates from the Middle Ages, but it did not acquire the personality we know today until the
middle of the last century. The festivites include a nighttime parade; a procession of the old towns of
Valencia; the offerings of flowers to Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the
Forsaken), patroness of the city; and the famous "Nit del Foc" (Night of the Fire), on which all the
"fallas" (grotesque and humorous scenes made up of carboard figures) are burned.
Feria de Abril/April Fair
April. Sevilla, Andalucia.
Shortly after Holy Week, the Seville Fair opens, brimming over with joy and full of spectacularity.
Morning, evening and night - the height being at midday during the long cavalcade of riders, and late
at night when the spirit takes over the thousand throats of the "cantaores" (flamenco singers) and
the legs and arms of the "bailaoras" (dancers) with their four sevillanas - the Real de la Feria blazes
with multicolored tents, wreaths and paper lanterns outlined against the sky.
Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians)
April 22 to April 24. Alicante, Valencia.
Starting with the feast of the Holy Christ, in Valverde del Jucar (Cuenca) in January and ending with
the "Moorish King" in Agost (Alicante) in December, almost one hundred and fifty celebrations of
"Moors and Christians" take place over the length and breadth of the country. The majority are
found in Alicante where the festivities become livelier and more numerous as the days pass. As
early as the 17th century, groups of Moors and Christians drove through the town accompanied by
noisy bands, after which a "battle" ensues, ending with the triumph of the followers of the Cross,
who surround the Moors and defeat them. Everything goes on amidst the noise of fireworks and the
ringing of bells.
Festival de los Patios Cordobeses/The Cordoba Patio Festival.
May. Cordoba, Andalucia.
This centuries-old festival includes the pilgrimage of the conquering Virgin of the Linares Sanctuary
across the countryside with horsemen and richly decorated coaches, a competition of Mary Crosses
and a Patio, Iron Grille and Balcony Contest in which the patios, small side street and plazas so
typical of the city are filled with flowers.
Corpus Christi
May 29. Toledo, Castilla y La Mancha.
The nun Juliana of Liege used to have a strange vision every time she began to pray, in which a full
moon appeared with its center darkened by shadow. Finally, Jesus himself told her of the
significance of the vision: the bright circle signified all liturgical celebrations and these were only
darkened by the absence of a feast day dedicated to the exaltation of the actual presence of Christ
in the Eucharist (which was debated at the time). Official recognition of the feast day was given in
1246. The new feast day arrived in Spain sometime during the 14th century. In the procession, the
main feature is the Host, housed in magnificent masterpieces of silverwork.
Hogueras de San Juan
June 20 to June 29. Alicante, Valencia.
A series of ancient rituals which were followed on this, the shortest night of the year, when light
triumphs over darkness, have been studied in minute detail in the work of Baroja. In these rituals,
the essential features are the sun, fire and water. Around the feast of San Juan the streets are often
decorated with branches and leaves, especially the balconies of young girls in love, who are
serenaded; pines and poplars are planted; pilgrimages ('romerias') are undertaken; straw effiges are
 burnt; the herb thyme is blessed; and 'sanjuanera' songs are sung.
Fiestas de Haro
Summer. Haro, La Rioja.
Festivities are strung out through the summer, but the most famous Festival in the city is celebrated
on the 29th June - the day of San Pedro. During this Festival the famous "Wine Battle" takes place
in the Riscos de Bilibio.
Dia de Santiago
July 25. Santiago de Compostela, Galicia.
Celebration of the patron Saint of Spain. Fireworks, parades, televised mass. National holiday.
Romeria Vikinga
August 3. Pontevedra, Galicia.
An splendid simulation of the Viking invasion of the "Torres de Oeste," which are defended by the
Christian natives. After the 'battle'" everybody drinks red wine from the Ulla River and eats seafood,
all for free. The feast is followed by folkloric dancing, in which everyone participates.
El Coso
August. Felanitx, Balearic Islands.
Felanitx celebrates its local fiesta on August 28th, Saint Augustine's day. To tell the truth, it's a bit of
an exotic patron saint, given that most Majorcan towns and villages celebrate Saint John, Saint
Anthony, Saint Joseph or Saint Sebastian. The Town Hall organizes a whole week of activities:
sports, theatre, a children's festival, etc., including four or five outdoors music and dance night
festivals, called "verbenes."
Fiesta de Verano
August. Malaga, Andalucia.
This festival usually starts the second Friday of August with spectacular fireworks. Then, the feria
takes place in the centre of Malaga during the afternoon. People wear traditional Spanish costumes
and dance "sevillanas" and "malaguenas" in the street; eat fish, cheese and ham and drink a
delicious, sweet, red wine. The fair takes place during bullfighting season, so one can see a
magnificent contest in the afternoon.
Fiestas Patronales de La Virgen de Gracia
September. Albacete, Castilla y La Mancha.
With more than 400 years of tradition behind them, the Fiestas of Caudete are celebrated every
year to honour its Virgin, La Virgen de Gracia. The main components are the fireworks, gunpowder,
music, procession, and flower offering to the Virgin.
Fiestas de la Vendimia Riojana/ La Rioja Wine Festival
September (around the 21st, the Day of San Mateo). Logrono, La Rioja.
Harvesting festivities of one of the most renown wine regions in Spain. The Rioja is the center of a
very important wine culture.

 
Sports in Spain

Sports are a passion in Spain. No sporting country can claim stronger

football (soccer) teams than the host country of the fabled Real Madrid
and Barca futbol dynasties. As the second most mountainous country in
Europe, Spain naturally plays host to ski resorts of high quality.
Surrounded by water, Spain also offers wonderful sailing, enhanced by
the award of the next America´s cup to Valencia, where the races will be
visible from the shore. The sport of cycling enjoys great popularity in
Spain, with legends such as Basque Tour de France champion Miguel
Indurain continuing to inspire upcoming generations, and with the Tour of
spain holding a place among cyclings great events. Spain´s temperate
climate and spectacular scenery help create wonderful golf courses, which
in turn have helped develop great golfers past and present. Basketball
enjoys increasing popularity in Spain, with Spanish natives going on to
stardom in the USA´s National Basketball Association.

Map of Spain
A photo tour
Bibliography…..

Spain-info.com