The Kingdom of Spain is also known as Reino de España. Its ruler is King Juan Carlos I. The Prime Minister of Spain is Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
North of Spain is France, while to the east and south is the Mediterranean Sea, and Atlantic Sea. Portugal is to the west and there is the Strait of Gibraltar to the south west which separates Africa and Spain.
As of 2007, the estimated population of Spain was tagged at over 40 million, and the average number of years of a Spaniard is about 79 years old.
The capital city of Spain is the lively and cosmopolitan Madrid, which is known for its active nightlife. Most of the cities in Spain are now highly developed being that Spain is one of the most visited countries by tourists in the world. In some cities, the population can more than double during tourist season.
The form of currency is the Euro. Previously, Spain used the peseta until it became a member of the European Nations.
If you are visiting Spain for the first time, try to learn a little Spanish to help you as you travel inside and around Spain. Seventy four percent of the population speak Spanish, although most can understand basic English.
As for religion, 94 % of Spaniards are Roman Catholics, and the remaining 6% are of different religious groups.
Most of the people are a mixture of two to three races. If you have studied the history of Spain, you will know that Spain has several waves of people coming to settle in their shores. This would explain the strangely beautiful look of Spaniards. Some are Nordic – light colored, while others have that Mediterranean look. It will not be unusual at all to meet a Spanish girl with light complexion, dark hair and blue eyes.
Being a highly developed nation, it is but natural that the literacy rate of Spain is a high 98%. The major products of Spain are grain, dairy products, noodles, wine, olives, meat and fish. You will have probably seen at least one product of Spain in your local department store or grocery since Spain exports a lot of its products around the world.
The major industries in Spain are textile, clothing, preserved food, chemicals, footwear, bags, food and beverages. The Spanish are also known for their craftsmanship in shipbuilding and machinery.
In Spain, the climate can change to extreme temperatures and low rainfall. There’s a saying in Madrid about the climate being “9 months of winter, and 3 months of hell.” This is because of the freezing cold winters, and the extremely hot summer months. In fact in many places in Spain, there are two weeks in August where people will just close shop and move to cooler weather – usually along the coastline.
In Granada, Cordoba, and Seville, the summer months get scorching hot that many wildfires have been known to start, destroying land, crop and homes.
Spain is a country of great history and culture. Learning more about Spain usually takes more than just reading about it. Visit Spain and experience the true beauty of nature in a modern setting.
