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What you always wanted to know about Spain
FACTS ABOUT SPAIN
Spain has a total area of 504.782 km2 of which 5.240 km2 is made up of water. It is the second largest European country after France, with a coastline 4.964 km long and the mountain Pico de Teide on the Island of Tenerife being highest point (3719 metres) coming second only to some of the peaks on Switzerland.
It has 19 autonomous communities (including the Balearic and Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla) and has been a parliamentary monarchy since 1978. Spain joined the European Union in 1986 and has the Euro as its currency. The country’s population is approximately 44 million (around 98 % being Catholic) with the vast majority living in the capital Madrid, cities and towns. 9 % of the population are foreigners and it is one of the world’s most visited countries with more than 45 million holidaymakers coming to Spain every year. Its warm climate, beautiful sandy beaches and magnificent countryside make this country very attractive for tourists.
Spain’s most important industries are textiles, food and beverages, metal and metal manufacturing, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles and tourism.
Natural resources include coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium and kaolin.
The official language of Spain is Castilian which has three dialects: Catalan, Galician and Basque.
Spanish language facts
- After Chinese and English Spanish is the most commonly used language world wide.
- Spanish, like all Romance languages, derives from Latin, with Castilian being considered to be the purest form of Spanish.
- Spanish in Spain and Spanish in Latin America vary slightly as the languages have evolved since the colonization of the Americas. The most obvious influence is the use of indigenous words in Latin America and differing pronunciation.