THE Spain, whose official name is the Kingdom of Spain, is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula.
After a 20th century marked by a Civil War and a forty-year dictatorship, democracy returned to Spain in 1975 and the country joined the European Economic Community in 1986.
Spain General Data
- capital: Madrid
- Population: 46.549.045
- Surface: 505,940 km2
- Demographic density: 92 inhabitants per km2
- Government Regime: parliamentary monarchy
- Head of state King Felipe VI - since June 19, 2014
- Head of Government: Pedro Sánchez - since 2018
- Language: Spanish or Spanish and four co-official languages: Basque, Catalan, Galician and Aranese
- Coin: Euro
- HDI: 0,884
- Religion: Christianity and Islam
Spain map
Spain is divided into 16 Autonomous Communities and two Autonomous Cities, Ceuta and Melilla. On the map below, we can see the division of communities and their respective capitals highlighted in bold.
Major cities
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Seville
- Valence.
Borders
- Portugal
- France
- Andorra
- Morocco
- United Kingdom through Gibraltar Overseas Territory
Spanish flag
The Spanish flag has two red horizontal bands and in the center a yellow horizontal band. There is also the monarchical shield that bears the motto Plus Ultra (Further).
Politics in Spain
The century XX was quite troubled for Spain. A group of opponents overthrew the monarchy and proclaimed the Second Republic in 1931, but five years later, the Army, led by General Francisco Franco, declares war on this government.
follows one Civil war for three years with the victory of the nationalists. General Franco installs a nationalist dictatorship, with characteristics of fascism such as censorship, banning of political parties and where there were no elections for head of state or government.
Franco would only leave power when he died and appointed the then Prince Juan Carlos (1938) as his successor. He restored democracy and constitutional monarchy in the country and reigned under the name of Juan Carlos I from 1975 to 2014.
Due to health problems and one of his sons-in-law facing charges of laundering and embezzlement, King Juan Carlos I abdicates in favor of his son and heir, Felipe.
Separatism in Spain
One of Spain's biggest political problems is the existence of separatist claims to territories such as Catalonia and the Basque Country.
Catalonia
Catalonia was incorporated into the Crown of Castile with the military defeat in 1714. Since then, the Catalans have sought to obtain more autonomy from the central government.
In 2017 a referendum was held in Catalonia with the aim of proclaiming it an independent republic. Despite the favorable result, the leaders postponed the effective separation of the country indefinitely.
Basque country
The Basque Country or Basque Country is also a region that asks for separation from Spain. In the 1970s, a group of people fighting for independence formed the terrorist group ETA with the aim of carrying out attacks as a way of putting pressure on the Spanish government.
Its preferred victims were members of the Civil Guard, military, civilian leaders and citizens who were against ETA.
The group announced its end in 2018.
Galicia
The Galician separatist movement is less known internationally, but has existed since the 1980s as a political force.
Currently, Galician nationalism is fragmented into several political parties, including the Galician Nationalist Block.
In addition to territorial independence, this movement claims the same status between the Galician and Castilian, the end of certain national taxes and more autonomy to decide on educational and Sanitary.
Spain economy
Spain showed considerable growth in the late 1980s with economic liberalization and the country's entry into the European Economic Community.
Therefore, Spain was considered one of the most promising nations of the European Union and major infrastructure works were carried out such as railways and airports, considerably improving communication between the zones.
The country currently exports automobiles, automechanical parts, fruits and vegetables, olive oil and medicines. Likewise, tourism is one of the main sources of Spanish income.
Tourism
Tourism represents 11.2% of the Spanish GDP, according to 2015 data from the National Institute of Statistics of Spain. In 2017, the country broke the record for tourist visits, attracting 81.8 million visitors.
Coastal regions such as Catalonia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands are the ones that receive the most tourists, especially from Germany and the United Kingdom.
However, the country has been consolidating itself as a destination for business tourism and the organization of fairs and events, which guarantees hotel occupancy throughout the year.
History of Spain
The formation of Spain originates with the Celtiberian tribes that lived there and that would be conquered by the Romans.
Roman Empire in Spain
The Romans invaded the territory by Sea Mediterranean, when they occupied the city of Tarraco, present-day Tarragona and named the province of Hispania. Before long, the place turned into a grain supplier.
It is still possible to see many remains of the Roman Empire such as the aqueduct of Segovia, ruins of Zaragoza and the city of Mérida itself. This city was specifically founded to accommodate soldiers who had retired.
Visigoths in Spain
With the barbarian invasions, the Visigoths replaced the Romans and built their kingdom there for three centuries. They were quite divided over the religious issue surrounding the idea of Arianism and had to confront enemies on all sides.
It is possible to see their brands in Toledo, where they established the Visigothic Kingdom of Toledo and in Zamora, as well as in several museums that house objects of this civilization.
Muslims in Spain
Muslims remained in present-day Spain for about 800 years and there erected palaces, mosques, baths, and everything that was necessary to form cities worthy of powerful kingdoms.
Although they were at war with each other, the Muslim presence was more visible in the south, in the region of Al Andaluz, now Andalusia. Cities such as Seville, Cordoba and Granada have an important Muslim influence that is present in architecture and the arts.
Reconquest of Spain
We must understand the Christian reconquest as a process that involved several generations and not just the Catholic Monarchs, Isabel of Castile and Fernando de Aragão, who lived between the 14th and 15th centuries.
The kingdom of Castile was committed to conquering territories from the Muslims, as well as from its neighbor Portugal, as is clear during Revolution of Avis.
At the same time as the reconquest, the kingdom of Castile strengthened. With the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, the biggest kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula, Aragon and Castile, united and were able to defeat the last Arab kingdom in Granada, in 1492. At the same time, they sponsored the great navigations that resulted in the arrival and occupation of the American continent.
Great Navigations
Once the Arab kingdoms within the territory are eliminated, the kingdom of Castile and Aragon extends its borders to new continents. the time of great navigations it makes Spain a rich kingdom, where new products were constantly arriving and the idle could find work.
By signing the Treaty of Tordesillas, Spain conquers much of America, but must renounce Africa. It also settled in the Philippines and still held its possessions in the Italian Peninsula and the Netherlands.
Culture in Spain
As home to many peoples who had different cultural and religious traditions, Spain developed a diverse cultural identity. This includes flamenco, paintings collected by sovereigns and the literature of the Golden Age.
Below are some examples.
Dance
O flamenco is the best known artistic expression in this country around the world. Its origin is lost in time, but it is likely to be in the dances that the gypsies they practiced in their camps, around a fire. Singing, with a clear Arab influence, the sensuality and dexterity of the dancers, made it a universal art.
Artists such as poet Federico García Lorca, musician Paco de Lucía and countless dancers such as Antonio Gades and Cristina Hoyos renewed and elevated flamenco.
Painting
Painting in Spain especially flourished from the 16th century onwards around religion and monarchy. Religious orders commissioned pictures for their monasteries, while kings kept painters and bought pictures everywhere occupied by the kingdom.
Artists such as Velázquez, El Greco, Murillo and Goya found a guarantee in the Spanish court for the realization of their works.
During the 20th century, one cannot talk about art without mentioning Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali or Joan Miró. His creations shaped movements like the cubism, O surrealism it's the abstractionism.
Literature
Spanish literature is rich and varied. It developed within the court, religious monasteries and in the streets. Without a doubt, the most established writer is Miguel de Cervantes whose characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are among the main literary figures of the West.
During the so-called Spanish Golden Age, writers of great talent and imagination emerged, such as Lope de Vega, Francisco de Quevedo, Luís de Gongora, Calderón de la Barca and many more.
Spain has already received the Nobel Prize for Literature on five occasions.
Curiosities
- Spain has 44 places classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.
- It is also a world leader in the production of olive oil and has the largest olive plantation area on the planet.
- Madrid concentrates the largest amount of works of art per square meter in the so-called Art Triangle formed by the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums.
- The two richest football teams on the planet are in Spain: Barcelona and Real Madrid. This is regarded as the club that has the most international titles, while Barcelona boasts the third position.
read more
- Constitutional monarchy
- Greatest Dictators in History
- Totalitarian Regimes in Europe
- Europe
- European countries
- Europe map
