Introduction to Spain and its people, culture, tradition, and places

1. Kingdom of Spain
Name and ID:

2. Spain in Brief
 Official name: Kingdom of Spain España
 Capital and largest city: Madrid
 Official Language: Castilian
 Ethnic Groups:
 89.9% Spanish
 10.1% others
 Religion:
 68% Roman Catholic
 27% Irreligious
 2% other religion

3. Location
 Spain is located in southwestern Europe
 Northwest: The Atlantic Ocean and The Bay of Biscay
 East and South: The Mediterranean Sea
 West: It has a 1,214 kilometer (754 mile) land border
with Portugal
 623 kilometer (387 mile) border with France
 Northeast: 63.7 kilometer (39.5 mile) border with the tiny
city-state of Andorra

4. Background
In ancient times the Iberian Peninsula
at the southwestern tip of Europe has
been inhabited by various ethnic
groups.
Iberian tribes moved into the
peninsula at some point during the
second millennium B.C. --whether
from north Africa or southern Europe-
- and spread out over a broad area.
During the eighth and ninth centuries
B.C. Phoenicians, Greeks,
Carthaginians, and a significant
number of Celtic immigrants from
central and northern Europe entered
the peninsula.
This highly diversified ethnic stocks of
the pre-Roman period, constituting
the ancestors of the later Spaniards.
With the decline of the Roman
empire, Suebi, Vandals and Alans
took control of parts of Hispania.
pain became the most powerful
nation in Europe Spain became the
most powerful nation in Europe

5. Politics
 Political system: Unitary parliamentary and constitutional monarchy
 Monarch: Felipe VI
 Formation:
Dynastic: 20 January 1479
De Facto: 23 January 1516
De Jure: 9 June 1715
First constitution: 19 March 1812
Current democracy: 29 December 1978

6. Politics
 The Spanish monarch, currently, Felipe VI, is the head of the Spanish State,
symbol of its unity and permanence
 Spain government power is divided into three branches:
Executive
 Legislative
 Judiciary
 Within the Legislative Branch, There are two houses:
 Upper House: The Senate
 Lower House: The Congress of Deputies
 There are four types of election in Spain:
 General Election
 elections to the legislatures of the autonomous communities
 Local Election
 elections to the European Parliament

7. Economy of Spain
 Spain's capitalist mixed economy is the 14th largest worldwide
and the 5th largest in the European Union, as well as the
Eurozone's 4th largest.
 Unemployment stood at 7.6% in October 2006, lower than many
other European countries, and significantly below Spain's early
1990s unemployment rate of at over 20%.
 The strong economic growth helped the government to reduce
the government debt as a percentage of GDP and Spain's high
unemployment rate began to steadily decline.

8. Economic Aspects
 Agriculture:
 It was estimated to be the source of between 40–45% of the gross
value of crop production and of 50% of the value of agricultural
exports
 More than half of the irrigated area was planted in corn, fruit trees,
and vegetables
 it was possible to harvest two successive crops in the same year on
about 10% of the country's irrigated land.
 Tourism:
 The climate of Spain, its geographic location, popular coastlines,
diverse landscapes, historical legacy, vibrant culture and excellent
infrastructure, has made Spain's international tourist industry among
the largest in the world
 In the last five decades, international tourism in Spain has grown to
become the second largest in the world in terms of spending, worth
approximately 40 billion Euros or about 5% of GDP in 2006

9. Economic Aspects
 Energy:
 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 with a massive power station plant called La Florida,
near Alvarado, Badajoz
 Spain is also Europe's main producer of wind energy
 Science and technology:
 In the 19th and 20th centuries science in Spain was held back by
severe political instability and consequent economic
underdevelopment.
 Despite the conditions, some important scientists and engineers
emerged
 The most notable were Miguel Servet, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Narcís
Monturiol, Celedonio Calatayud, Juan de la Cierva

10. Culture
 Culturally, Spain is a Western country. Almost every aspect
of Spanish life is permeated by its Roman heritage, making
Spain one of the major Latin countries of Europe
 Spanish culture is marked by strong historic ties to
Catholicism, which played a pivotal role in the country's
formation and subsequent identity
 Spanish art, architecture, cuisine, and music has been
shaped by successive waves of foreign invaders, as well as
by the country's Mediterranean climate and geography

11. Public holidays and festivals in Spain
 Public holidays celebrated in Spain include a mix of religious (Roman Catholic),
national and regional observances
 Spain's National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España) is 12 October, the anniversary
of the Discovery of America and commemorate Our Lady of the Pillar feast,
patroness of Aragon and throughout Spain
 There are many festivals and festivities in Spain. Some of them are known
worldwide, and every year millions of people from all over the world go to
Spain to experience one of these festivals.
 One of the most famous is San Fermín, in Pamplona
 While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, which
happens at 8:00 am from 7 to 14 July, the week-long celebration involves
many other traditional and folkloric events

12. Places to Visit in Spain
 Splendid beaches, delicious cuisine, vibrant nightlife
and lively fiestas all make Spain one of Europe’s best
getaways
 Because Spain encompasses several autonomous
regions and islands, the country boasts one of the
most widely diverse cultures and landscapes on the
continent