GENERAL INFORMATION - A bit of history - Practical guide - Real Estate guide

General Information

Spain and Portugal constitute the Iberian Peninsula, the most western of the three large peninsulas in South Europe.
Spain, with a surface of 505.957 square kilometres, occupies only a small part of the map. However, in connection with the European continent, Spain is the third largest country, after Russia and France.
It was the Romans who gave the name "Hispania", seemingly a word of Phoenician origin, derived from the shepherds, that probably means 'coast or island of rabbits.'

Geographical situation
The Spanish peninsular has a total area of 493.486 square kilometres. To those , 4.992 Km. must be added for the Baleares, 7.447 for the Canary Islands and 32 for the Spanish cities located in the north of Africa: Ceuta, with 18 square Kilometres and Melilla, with 14 square Kilometres.
The most important part in insular Spain are the Balearics and the Canarian archipelagos.
High lands, mountains and plateaux prevail on the low lands. With the exception of Switzerland, Spain is the highest country in Europe, with a medium height 600 meters over the sea level. The highest peaks are: The Peak of the Teide (Tenerife), 3.719 m.; Mulhacén (Sierra Nevada), 3.478 m.; Citadel (Sierra Nevada), 3.392 m.
Spain possesses more than 2.000 beaches, many of them of great beauty and with a pleasant climate. They are internationally well known: Costa Brava, Golden Costa, Costa of Orange blossom, Costa Blanca, smaller Sea, Warm Costa, Costa del Sol, Costa Luz, Low Creeks and High Creeks, Cantabrian Costa, Costa Canaria and Balearic Costa.

Climate and Vegetation
Although Spain is in a temperate area, its uneven relief gives place to a great diversity of climates.
The mountains of the Cantabrian mark the first area of very defined climatological division. To the north of this chain is located the Basque country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, what we could call the rainy Spain, with a marine climate, only with slight variations of temperature, soft winters and fresh summers. This climate is typical in Western Europe, and favours the type of vegetation of Northern Europe.
To the south of the Cantabrian chain is the dry Spain, with an extremely variable climate, always characterised by scarce rains and an implacable burning sun in an intensely blue sky, occasionally crossed by violent local storms of short duration.
The relation between relief, climate and vegetation is evident and influences in certain socio-economic sectors like the agriculture and the tourism. The vegetation of a country is a reflective picture of its climatic diversity and it can be observed in the characteristic landscapes of the two Spain: the green Spain, with its exuberant and extensive leafy forests and its rich plains covered with grass and the Mediterranean Spain, with non cultivated lands and with some few forests that have adapted to the dryness of the summer.

Population
At the present time, the biggest population density concentrates on the Community of Madrid (605 inhabitants per square kilometre), followed by the Basque counties (295), Canaries Islands, Catalonia, Balearic Islands and the Valencia Community (all them with a density of between 200 and 100 inhabitants per square kilometre).
The smallest density is in Castilla, Aragon, Extremadura and Castilla-León, with less than 30 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Religion
During the Middle Age, Christianity co-existed together with Judaism and Islam, but from the Reyes' Catholics time, it became the obligatory religion of the Spaniards, with the Inquisition always vigilant, protecting the Roman Catholic orthodoxy until principles of last century. The liberal Constitutions of the XIX century established the religious freedom, but during the conservative periods, the Catholic religion became the official religion of the State and the only one whose public manifestations were allowed.
During the last two centuries the secularisation has extended thoroughly, although the influence of the Catholic Church is still very important.
Practically all Spaniards are Catholics, and although few participate actively, most of them celebrate the three most important ceremonies in accordance with the rites of the Church: birth (baptism), marriage and death. It is necessary to add a more recent but extended tradition among the children: the Primera Communion that takes place between the age of 7 and 10.
Therefore, the external and internal religiosity exists, based on belief and feelings. However, for a minority, there is an important distinction between personal religion and popular religion. The centre of this popular religiosity is the devotion to the Virgin María and the saints, cult of images and mainly in festivals.

Festivals and traditions
Besides the most important celebrations like Christmas, Easter and All Saints, etc, every village and town has its patron saint and they have festivals that last several days. Most of important celebrations are in summer and autumn, following the crop season. This is the case for festivals like the Sanfermines in Pamplona, the Fallas of Valencia, the Feria of April in Seville and San Isidro in Madrid.
Besides these popular events, some special celebrations have to be mentioned, especially Easter week in Seville.
But besides the secular or religious parties, there are always bulls: the mature bulls in the most important squares and the youths (young bulls) in smaller ones.
The democratic city councils have played an important part in the recovery of the celebrations and traditional parties. The Pilgrimages (that take place near a hermitage), the carnivals, especially those of the Canaries Islands and Cadiz, dances and processions have been largely revived, thanks to the local administrations. At the present time, the public has picked up a wide variety of national folklore. The sevillanas are very fashionable in the discos, and the muñeiras groups (popular group from Galicia) are plentiful, Aragonese and Castilian sardanas are numerous. Every time there are more people fond of the flamenco and the jondo (andalus popular song). Just as it has happened with other traditions, the music and the folkloric dances have taken profit from the modernisation of the traditions.

Economy
Traditionally Spain has been an agricultural country and it is still one of the major producers of western Europe, but since the decade of 1950 the industrial growth has been quick and has reached a bigger weight that the agriculture in the economy of the country. A series of development plans that began in 1964, helped to expand the economy, but at the end of the decade of 1970 began a period of economic recession due to the ascent of the prices of petroleum and an increase of imports. With posteriority, the government has increased the development of the steel industry, navy, textile and mining. The revenues obtained by the tourism and the area of construction has been, in the last decade, very important.
In January of 1986 Spain entered, as member of full right, the European Union.

Politics
Spain is a parliamentary monarchy: King Don Carlos I and Queen Sofía.
The royal family is very close to the Spaniards who show them a lot of affection. The government's president is José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (Socialist Party). Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities, which have their own political and administrative autonomy. The most important are: Catalonia, The Basque country, Madrid, Andalusia and Aragon.