Spain is a constitutional monarchy located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It has an area of 504,750 km2 and a population of over 46 million people. Spanish is the official language, though other languages like Catalan and Basque are also official in certain regions. The capital and largest city is Madrid. Spain has a diverse landscape that includes mountains, rivers, beaches, and islands like the Balearic and Canary Islands. It is known for its world-renowned cities and monuments that reflect its rich cultural history. Spanish cuisine and traditions also vary widely between regions. Sports, especially soccer, are now an important part of Spanish culture and youth.

3. A FEW FACTS
 Area: 504,750 km2
 Population: 46.157.822 (INE 2008)
Languages: Official language, Spanish (also called Castillian
Catalan, Galician Valencian and Basque ( They are also official languages in the
autonomous regions of Cataluña, Galicia, Valencia and Basque Country
respectively)
 Religion: Catholic
 Capital: Madrid
 Form of government: Constitutional Monarchy
 Head of Estate: King Juan Carlos I
 President of Government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

4. It is the 3th European country in extension and the 5th in population .
Apart from the peninsula, it
includes the Balearic Islands
in the Mediterranean Sea,
the Canary Islands the cities
of Ceuta and Melilla in
Northern Africa.

5. Its landscapes offer an extraordinary variety with green fields,
mountains, valleys, rivers and beaches.

7. This land is and has been for millennia one of the cultural centers of Europe.
Many of its cities, and even more lost enclaves, are home to monuments of
exceptional historical and artistic value, not to mention the extraordinary
natural scenery that this ancient peninsula has.

8. The much used topic of "Spain is different" raises a question " from what is different ?
it is a country full of contrasts, beginning with its climate and landscape. But we
sometimes find all these contrasts in a very small area, such as the province of
Granada, which has the country's highest peak, Mulhacén, covered with snow, and its
coast faces Africa.

9. IMPORTANT SPANISH CITIES

10. Barcelona Córdoba
Madrid Granada

11. Segovia Sevilla
Sevilla Santiago

12. Valencia Madrid
A Coruña Bilbao

13. FOLK TRADITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS
San Fermín, Pamplona
Flamenco, April Fair in Sevilla Brotherhoods, Holy Week in Sevilla

14. Las Fallas de San José, Valencia
Carnival

15. SPANISH CUISINE
The Spanish cuisine is enriched by the contributions of the various regions of the
country. It is strongly influenced by the people who conquered its territory.

18. In the last decades sport has become a very important part of our
everyday life.
The World Cup has been the last of the successes and we are still
celebrating it.
The turning point was the 22 medals that we won in the Barcelona
Olympic Games in 1992.
And now we can also compete and win in basketball (Gasol), tennis
(Nadal), Formula 1 (Alonso), motorbikes (Lorenzo).
Children and teenagers are now involved in many different sports
even if football for us still is the most important one. Everybody knows
how to play it and every Spanish person is, or so they think, an expert
in the field.

22. In the last decades sport has become a very important part of our everyd
The World Cup has been the last of the successes and we are still celebra
The turning point was the 22 medals that we won in the Barcelona Olym
And now we can also complete and win in basketball: (Gasol), tennis (N
Children and teenagers are now involved in many different sports even i
Everybody knows how to play it and every Spanish person is, or so they t
Galicia...