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SPAIN
Image 1.: Flag
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Image 2: map of Spain2
Image 3: map of Spain 3
1. Introduction
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country and a member of the EU located
in the southwestern Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula. To the south and east it’s
bordered by Mediterranean Sea, except for small land boundary with the British
territory of Gibraltar. To the north it’s bordered by France and Andorra and to the
northwest by Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes Balearic
Islands (Mediterranean), Canary Islands (Atlantic) and two autonomous cities in
Notrh Africa – Ceuta and Melilla. 6
With an area of 504 030 square kilometres, it’s the second biggest country in
the Western Europe. Because of its location was Spain the subject of many external
influences since prehistoric times. Spain is a unified country since 15th century. During
modern era, when it became a global empire Spain had a great influence on another
regions, which left a legacy for 500 million Spanish speakers today, making it the
world’s second most spoken first language.
Spain is a high developed democracy with a parliamentary government under a
constitutional monarchy. Spain is a member of organisations like EU, UN, NATO,
WTO, OECD. 6
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2. Basic information
2.1. General3
Original name: Espana
Area: 504 782 sq km
Population: 40 525 002 (2009)
Relief: Pico de Teide (3 718 m) – Atlantic
ocean 0 m
Geobioms: temperate forrest, subtropical
biota
2.2.
Name: Spain
Capital: Madrid
Location: 9°- 4° w.l, 36°- 44° s.l
Landuse: 30% arable land, 21% pastures,
32% forrests, 17% other
Climate: subtropical, temperate
Political status5
Established: 1492
Goverment type: constitutional monarchy
Regions: 17 autonomous communites
Time: GMT +1
Integration: EU, NATO, UN, CE, OSCE, HDI: 0,878 (2011)
OECD, WTO
3. Maps skills
 autonomous communities: Catalonia – Barcelona, Andalucía – Seville,
Aragon – Saragossa, Valencian Community – Valencia, Community of
Madrid – Madrid, Castile La Mancha, Castile y Leon
 other cities: Malaga, Granada, Valladolid, Murcia
 mountain ranges: Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, Cordilera Cantabrica
 rivers: Ebro, Duero, Tajo, Guadiana, Guadalquivir
 islands: Balearic islands – Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza; Canary Islands –
Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife
4. Population and Settlement
4.1. Demographics
In 2008 the population of Spain officially
reached 46 million people, as recorded by
the Padrón municipal (with the density of 91
people per square kilometer). The density is
not that high as in the rest of Western Europe
and its distribution across the country is very Image 4: Famous people of Spain 4
unequal. With the exception of the region
surrounding the capital, Madrid, the most populated areas lie around the coast. The
population of Spain more than doubled since 1900, when it stood at 18.6 million,
principally due to the spectacular demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Native Spaniards make up 88% of the total population of Spain. After the birth
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rate plunged in the 1980s and Spain's population growth rate dropped, the population
again trended upward, based initially on the return of many Spaniards who had
emigrated to other European countries during the 1970s, and more recently, fuelled
by large numbers of immigrants who make up 12% of the population. The
immigrants originate mainly in Latin America (39%), North Africa (16%), Eastern
Europe (15%), and Sub-Saharan Africa (4%).6
Substantial populations descended from Spanish colonists and immigrants exist in
other parts of the world, most notably in Latin America. Beginning in the late 15th
century, large numbers of Iberian colonists settled in what became Latin America and
at present most white Latin Americans (who make up about one-third of Latin
America's population) are of Spanish or Portuguese origin. Between 16th and 19th
century emigrated around 5, 5 million Spaniars.6
Tab. 1: Religion of Spain [2]
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Non-religion
Others
No answer
Percent
70 %
25 %
2,7 %
2,3 %
4.2. Religion
Roman Catholicism - has long been the main religion of Spain, and although it no
longer has official status by law, in all public schools in Spain students have to choose
either religion or ethics and Catholic is the only religion officially taught. Most
Spaniards do not participate regularly in religious services, 58% hardly ever or never
go to church.
Islam – with the recent waves of immigration, the number of muslim population is
increasing. Presently, Islam is the second largest religion in Spain, accounting for
approximately 2.3% of the total population. After their expulsion in 1492, Muslims did
not live in Spain for centuries. Late 19th-century colonial expansion in northwestern
Africa gave a number of residents in Spanish Morocco and Western Sahara full
citizenship. Their ranks have since been bolstered by recent immigration, especially
from Morocco and Algeria.
Protestant churches – have around 1,2 million members in Spain, as a example we
can say Jehovah Witnesses1
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4.3. Language
Spanish is spoken all over the country and so is the only language with official status
nationwide. But a number of regional languages have been declared co-official, along
with Spanish, in the constituent communities where they are spoken:
 Basque – Basque country + Navarre
 Catalan – Catalonia + Balearic islands; Valencian (district variant of Catalan) –
Valencian community
Image 5: Population of Spain 5
 Galician – Galicia
There are some other languages like
Austrian or Aragonese, however they do not
have their official status due to very small
number of speakers and less significant written
tradition. 3
4.3. Settlement
Rank City
Madrid
1.
Barcelona
2.
3.
4.
5.
Valencia
Seville
Saragossa
Population
2 824 000
1 454 000
736 000
695 000
601 000
Rank City
Population
Malaga
6.
542 000
Las
Palmas
de
7.
354 000
8.
9.
10.
Gran Canaria
Bilbao
Murcia
Valladolid
351 000
350 000
317 000
Tab. : Largest cities of Spain[1]
5. Economy (agriculture, industry, services, transportation)
Spain's capitalist mixed economy is the twelfth largest worldwide and the fifth
largest in the European Union, as well as the Eurozone's fourth largest. Spain
entered the Eurozone in 1999.
Spain is one of the world's leading countries in the development and production of
renewable energy. In 2010 Spain became the solar power world leader when it
overtook the United States. Spain is also Europe's main producer of wind energy.
Spain has the most extensive high-speed rail network in Europe, and the second
most extensive in the world after China.
 Agricultural products:
citrus fruit – oranges, tangerines, lemons; almonds; olive oil; wine
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 Industries:
textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metallurgy, shipbuilding, carmachinery, machinery, chemical, medical equipment, clay and refractory products, tourism
 Natural resources:
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, kaolin,
potash, hydro-power, arable land
 Companies
Inditex – world’s largest clothing retailer; owns brands like Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Pull
and Bear, etc.
Ebro – food industry,
Telefonica – fifth largest telecomunication company in the world
6. Tourism
Summer tourism - generates the most income for the Spanish economy. The mild
climate during the whole year and the extensive sandy beaches of
the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean as well as of its two archipelagoes
(the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands) have been attracting tourists from the
cold territories of Northern Europe for decades. Summer resorts are popular with
Spaniards too.
The Spanish coasts suitable for summer vacations include, from
north to south:
 Costa Brava – coasts in Catalonia generally are very
popular for tourists from inland Spain and France, but
also tourists from the Czech rep.; Barcelona – the biggest
port in Spain
 Costa de Valencia. Costa Blanca – one of the most
developed costal areas, tourists from UK, Germany
 Costa del Sol, Costa de la Luz – some of its summer
towns are famous worldwide, eg. Marbella, Sotogrande,
Malaga – one of the biggest harbours
- Inprints of Ismlamic culture
Image 6: Costa del Sol 6
7. Key studies
Conflicts with some of autonomous regions
 mainly Vasc Country and Catalunia
 they’re trying to get independence
 they were independent in the past, and now don’t feel like being part of Spain
 very nationalistic, speaking their own language
 organizing protests, manifests, etc. etc.
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Image 7: Nou Camp 7
8. Pictures
Image8: La Rambla street, Barcelona 8
Image10: Corrida 10
Image9: Cordoba 9
Image11: Madrid 11
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9. Videos
Corrida
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaaDbP9nytg
Sevilla
Valencia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJfxywQGW0w&feature=fvsr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqxuGQ2ziA&feature=relmfu
Catalan independce trials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFa_SympHyI
9.
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Tasks
What are the main touristic destinations?
Which of the autonomous regions want to get independence?
What is corrida?
Decribe economics of Spain
Describe the whole terriory of Spain.
Is Spain a religious country?
Does Spain has any ex-colonies?
10. Dictionary
Corrida, Flamenco
References:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain#Religion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Spain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_people
http://www.citymayors.com/gratis/spanish_cities.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2090.html
en.wikipidia.org/Spain/
Images:
1) www.zemepis.com
2) www.worldatlas.com
3) www.zemepis.com
4) www.wikipedia.org
5) www.wikipedia.org
6) www.flights.eu
7) http://www.eslteachersboard.com
8) http://www.theatlantic.com
9) www.wikipedia.org