NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Kingdom of Spain

The Kingdom of Spain or Spain (Spanish and Galician: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne d'Espanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in the north of Africa, and a number of minor uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the strait of Gibraltar, such as the Chafarine islands, the "rocks" (es: peñones) of Vélez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Parsley Island. Strong economic growth and an expansion in trade following membership of the European Union in 1986 made the country's economy the tenth largest in the world in 2002. Life expectancy, public transportation, sanitation, infrastructure, and health care are first-rate, although the GDP per capita remains at 87% of that of the four leading European economies. This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Galician (Galego) is a language variety of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia (in the Galician language, Galicia or Galiza), an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. ... Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... Basque is the language spoken by the Basque people, who live in northern Spain and the adjoining area of southwestern France. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... topographic map of the Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan. ... For other meanings see: Pyrenees, Victoria and Montes Pyrenaeus. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Prince Albert of Monaco on the left represents a principality where he wields adminisitrative authority. ... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan. ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... -1... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 13th 7 447 km 1,5% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 8th 1 843 755 4,4% 247,58/km Demonym – English – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Ceuta is a Spanish exclave in North Africa, located on the northernmost tip of Maghreb, on the Mediterranean coast near the Straits of Gibraltar. ... Melilla, known in Arabic as مليلة, and in Tamazight as Tamlit is a Spanish autonomous city on the coast of eastern Morocco, in North Africa. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... Islas Chafarinas is a group of three small islands located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Morocco, 48 km (30 mi) to the east of Melilla and 3. ... 19th-century Spanish map showing the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is one of the Spanish territories on North Africa off the Moroccan coast (Plazas de soberanía), along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island... 19th-century Spanish map showing the Peñón de Alhucemas Peñón de Alhucemas, or Lavender Rock, is one of the Spanish territories in North Africa off the Moroccan coast, along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera... Isla Perejil (Parsley Island, Arabic: Leila (night)) is a small, rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea, 200m off the coast of Morocco, 5km from Ceuta. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ...

History

Prehistory

The original peoples of the Iberian peninsula (in the sense that they are not known to have come from elsewhere), consisting of a number of separate tribes, are given the generic name of Iberians. This may have included the Basques, the only pre-Celtic people in Iberia surviving to the present day as a separate ethnic group. The most important culture of this period is that of the city of Tartessos. Beginning in the 9th century BC, Celtic tribes entered the Iberian peninsula through the Pyrenees and settled throughout the peninsula, becoming the Celt-Iberians. topographic map of the Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ... This article is about the Basque people. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnicity An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another, or are so identified by others, on the basis of a boundary that distinguishes them from other groups. ... Tartessos (also Tartessus) was a harbor city on the south coast of Spain, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir. ... (10th century BC - 9th century BC - 8th century BC - other centuries) (900s BC - 890s BC - 880s BC - 870s BC - 860s BC - 850s BC - 840s BC - 830s BC - 820s BC - 810s BC - 800s BC - other decades) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events Kingdom of Kush (900 BC... The word Celtic can refer to: the European Celtic people, ancient or modern the Celtic languages, spoken by these people and their modern descendents the Celtic (Lusitania), Celts from the Alentejo. ... topographic map of the Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ... The Celt-Iberians (Span. ...

The seafaring Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians successively settled along the Mediterranean coast and founded trading colonies there over a period of several centuries. Phoenicia was an ancient civilization in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coastal plain of what is now Lebanon and Syria. ... The Greeks are the people who have populated Greece from the 17th century BCE until the present day. ... This article is about the ancient city-state of Carthage in North Africa. ...

Around 1,100 BC Phoenician merchants founded the trading colony of Gadir or Gades (modern day Cádiz) near Tartessos. In the 8th century BC the first Greek colonies, such as Emporion (modern Empúries), were founded along the Mediterranean coast on the East, leaving the south coast to the Phoenicians. The Greeks are responsible for the name Iberia, after the river Iber (Ebro in Spanish). In the 6th century BC the Carthaginians arrived in Iberia while struggling with the Greeks for control of the Western Mediterranean. Their most important colony was Carthago Nova (Latin name of modern day Cartagena). This article is about the Spanish city. ... Cádiz is a coastal city in southwestern Spain, in the region of Andalusia, and is the capital of the province of Cádiz. ... Empúries is a town in the Mediterranean coast of the Catalan comarca of Empordà. ... This article is about the Spanish river. ... This article is about the ancient city-state of Carthage in North Africa. ... Carthago Nova was the most important Carthaginian coastal trading colony in Spain. ... For other places of the same name, see Cartagena Cartagena is a seaport in southeast Spain on the Mediterranean Sea, in the autonomous community of Murcia. ...

Roman Empire

The Romans arrived in the Iberian peninsula during the Second Punic war in the 2nd century BC, and annexed it under Augustus after two centuries of war with the Celtic and Iberian tribes and the Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian colonies becoming the province of Hispania. Some of Spain's present languages, religion, and laws originate from this Roman period. Roman or Romans has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens, but also applicable to typography, math, and a commune. ... History -- Military history -- War The Second Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome from 218 to 204 BC. It was the second of three major wars fought between the Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic, then still confined to the Italian Peninsula. ... (3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events BC 168 Battle of Pydna -- Macedonian phalanx defeated by Romans BC 148 Rome conquers Macedonia BC 146 Rome destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War BC 146 Rome conquers... Augustus (plural Augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. Although the use of the cognomen Augustus as part of ones name is generally understood to identify the Emperor Augustus, this is somewhat misleading; Augustus was the most significant name associated with the Emperor, but it did not actually represent... Hispania was the name given by the Romans to the Iberian Peninsula, and to two of the three provinces they created there: Hispania Baetica and Hispania Tarraconensis (the third being Lusitania). ...

Medieval Spain

As the Roman empire declined, the Suebi, Vandals and Alans each took control of part of Hispania. In the 5th century AD the Visigoths, a romanized germanic tribe, conquered all of Hispania and established a relatively stable kingdom lasting until 711, when it fell to an invasion by Islamic North African Moors and became part of the expanding Umayyad empire, under the name of Al-Andalus. When the Umayyad empire gave way to the Abbaside empire, an Umayyad exile established the Caliphate of Cordoba, effectively making Al-Andalus independent from the empire. The Suebi or Suevi were a Germanic people whose origin was near the Baltic Sea . ... The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire, and created a state in North Africa, centered on the city of Carthage. ... The Alans or Alani were an Iranian nomadic group among the Sarmatian people, warlike nomadic pastoralists of mixed backgrounds, who spoke an Iranian language and shared, in a broad sense, a common culture. ... ( 4th century - 5th century - 6th century - other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. ... The Visigoths, originally Tervingi, or Vesi (the noble ones), one of the two main branches of the Goths (of which the Ostrogothi were the other), were one of the loosely-termed Germanic peoples that disturbed the late Roman Empire. ... See also: phone number 711. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام, listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... For the terrain type see Moor Moors is used in this article to describe the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus and the Maghreb, whose culture is often called Moorish. For other meanings look at Moors (Meaning) or Blackamoors. ... The Courtyard of the Omayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Muslim empire. ... The interior of the Great Mosque in Cordoba, now a Christian cathedral. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ...

Modern Spain began to take form during the Reconquista, the struggle between the Christian kingdoms arising in the northern regions left unconquered by the Moors and the Muslim kingdoms into which Al-Andalus eventually split. For other uses, see Reconquista (Disambiguation). ... For the terrain type see Moor Moors is used in this article to describe the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus and the Maghreb, whose culture is often called Moorish. For other meanings look at Moors (Meaning) or Blackamoors. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Three states came to dominate Christian Spain: Portugal, Aragon and Castile. During the last half of the XV century two heirs of Castile married, Isabella of Castile with Ferdinand II of Aragon de Aragon and Juana la Beltraneja with Alfonso V of Portugal. After a succession war, Isabella and Ferdinand overtook the kingdom, and Portugal remained separate. In 1492, Granada, the last of the Moorish kingdoms, was conquered by the Catholic monarchs. Capital Zaragoza Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 4th 47 719 km 9,4% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 11th 1 217 514 2,9% 25,51/km Demonym - English - Spanish Aragonese aragon s Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982 ISO 3166-2 AR Parliamentary representation Congress seats Senate... A former kingdom of Spain, Castile comprises the two regions of Old Castile in north-western Spain, and New Castile in the centre of the country. ... Isabella of Castile (Spanish: Ysabel, Isabel or Isabela) (22 April 1451 - 26 November 1504) was queen of Castile. ... Ferdinand II of Aragon (Fernando de Aragón in Spanish and Ferran dAragó in Catalan), nicknamed the Catholic (March 10, 1452 – June 23, 1516) was king of Aragon, Castile, Sicily, Naples and Navarre and Count of Barcelona. ... Portrait of Joan the Beltraneja. ... Afonso V of Portugal, the African, thirteenth king of Portugal was born in Sintra in January 15, 1432 and died in the same city in August 28, 1481. ... Isabella of Castile (Spanish: Ysabel, Isabel or Isabela) (22 April 1451 - 26 November 1504) was queen of Castile. ... Ferdinand II of Aragon (Fernando de Aragón in Spanish and Ferran dAragó in Catalan), nicknamed the Catholic (March 10, 1452 – June 23, 1516) was king of Aragon, Castile, Sicily, Naples and Navarre and Count of Barcelona. ... Events January 2 - Boabdil, the last Moorish King of Granada, surrenders his city to the army of Ferdinand and Isabella after a lengthy siege. ... The City of Granada Alhambra, Courtyard of the Lions Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in Andalusia, Spain (Andalucía, España). ... Catholic is a term generally used in relation to the members, beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

The kingdom of the Catholic monarchs then imposed the Christian religion; in 1492, Isabel and Fernando ordered the expulsion of all Jews from their dominions, having imposed physical segregation in 1480 (two years after the establishment of the Inquisition) and, in 1502, Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity or be banished. The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... The Inquisition was an office of the Roman Catholic Church charged with suppressing heresy. ...

Just before the conquest of Granada, Isabel funded Christopher Columbus in his attempts to reach Asia through a western route across the Atlantic Ocean - resulting in the "discovery" of the "New World". In 1492, Granada was taken and America discovered. No authentic contemporary portrait of Columbus has been found; this late 19th-century engraving is one of many conjectural images For information about the director, see the article on Chris Columbus. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The New World is one of the names used for the continents of North and South America and adjacent islands collectively, in use since the 16th century. ...

In 1499, about 50,000 Moors in Granada were coerced into taking part in a mass baptism. During the uprising that followed, people who refused the choices of baptism or deportation to Africa, were systematically eliminated. What followed was a mass flight of Moors, Jews and Gitanos from the city of Granada and the surrounding villages to the mountain regions (and their hills) and the rural country. It was in this socially and economically difficult situation that the musical cultures of the Moors, Jews and Gitanos started to form the basics of flamenco music. Events July 22 - Battle of Dornach - The Swiss decisively defeat the Imperial army of Emperor Maximilian I. July 28 - First Battle of Lepanto - The Turkish navy wins a decisive victory over the Venetians. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... Uprising is another word for rebellion. ... Deportation is the expelling of someone from a country. ... The Gitanos are Roma people living in Spain. ... Flamenco performance by the La Primavera group Flamenco is a song, music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos, but which has its deeper roots in Moorish musical traditions. ...

Renaissance in Spain

By 1512, most of the kingdoms of present-day Spain were politically unified, although not as a modern centralized state. The grandson of Isabel and Fernando, Carlos I, extended his crown to other places in Europe and the rest of the world. And the unification of Iberia was complete when Carlos I's son, Felipe II, became King of Portugal in 1580, as well as of the other Iberian Kingdoms (collectively known as "Spain" since this moment). Events April 11 - Battle of Ravenna. ... Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V (Spanish: Carlos V) (24 February 1500–21 September 1558) was effectively (the first) King of Spain from 1516 to 1556 (in principle, he was from 1516 king of Aragon and from 1516 guardian of his insane mother, queen of... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Philip II of Spain (1527 – September 13, 1598), King of Spain (r. ... Events March 1 - Michel de Montaigne signs the preface to his most significant work, Essays. ...

During the 16th century,with Carlos I and Felipe II, Spain became the most powerful European nation, its territory covering most of South and Central America, Asia - Pacific, the Iberian peninsula, southern Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries. This was later known as the Spanish Empire. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... Maritime Southeast Asia is the name given to the island nations in Southeast Asia. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Low Countries are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine and Meuse rivers— usually used in modern context to mean the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (an alternate modern term, more often used today, is Benelux). ... This article needs cleanup. ...

It was also the wealthiest nation but the uncontrolled influx of goods and minerals from Spanish colonisation of the Americas resulted in rampant inflation and economic depression. Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus in 1492. ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ... In economics, a depression is a term commonly used for a sustained downturn in the economy. ...

In 1640, under Felipe IV, the centralist policy of the Count-Duke of Olivares provoked wars in Portugal and Catalonia. Portugal became an independent kingdom again and Catalonia enjoyed some years of French-supported independence but was quickly returned to the Spanish Crown. Events December 1 - Portugal regains its independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. ... Philip IV of Spain Philip IV (Spanish: Felipe IV) (April 8, 1605 – September 17, 1665) was the king of Spain, from 1621 until his death, and king of Portugal as Philip III (Portuguese: Filipe III) until 1640. ... Gaspar de Guzman, conde de Olivares y duque de San Lucar (January 6, 1587 - July 22, 1645), was a Spanish royal favourite and minister. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ...

A series of long and costly wars and revolts followed in the 17th century, beginning a steady decline of Spanish power in Europe. Controversy over succession to the throne consumed the country during the first years of the 18th century (see War of the Spanish Succession). It was only after this war ended and a new dynasty was installed - the French Bourbons (see House of Bourbon) - that a centralized Spanish state was established and the first Borbon king Philip V of Spain in 1707 canceled the Aragon court and changed the title of king of Castilla and Aragon for the current king of Spain. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain. ... This article or section should include material from France: Wars of Religion - Bourbon Dynasty. ... King Philip V of Spain (1683-1746) was king of Spain from 1700 to 1746, the first of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. ...

French occupation

Spain was occupied by Napoleon in the early 1800s, but the Spaniards raised in arms. After the War of Independence (1808–1814), a series of revolts and armed conflicts between Liberals and supporters of the ancien régime lasted throughout much of the 19th century, complicated by a dispute over dynastic succession by the Carlists which led to three civil wars. After that, Spain was briefly a Republic, from 1871 to 1873, a year in which a series of coups reinstalled the monarchy. For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... The Peninsular War (1808-1814) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars. ... Events January 1 - Importation of slaves into the United States is banned February 11 - Russia issues an ultimatum to France, Finland. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... In politics, the term liberal refers to: an adherent of the ideology of liberalism or a state or quality of this ideology. ... Ancien Régime means Old Rule or Old Order in French; in English, the term refers primarily to the social and political system established in France under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carlism was a conservative political movement in Spain, purporting to establish an alternative branch of the Bourbons in the Spanish throne. ... Flag of the Spanish Republics. ... 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For related meanings see also Monarch (disambiguation) A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ...

In the meantime, Spain lost all of its colonies in the Caribbean region and Asia-Pacific region during the 19th century, a trend which ended with the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines and Guam to the United States after the Spanish-American War of 1898. The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... Map of the Pacific Rim and List of the Pacific Rim Nations The Pacific Rim is a political and economic term used to designate the countries on the edges of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the various island nations within the region. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Republic of Cuba is an archipelago in the northern Caribbean that lies at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. ... This article is about Puerto Rico, the territory of the United States. ... The Republic of the Philippines is a country of South East Asia, located in the western Pacific Ocean some 1,210 km (750 mi) from mainland Asia. ... Territorial motto: Where Americas Day Begins Official languages English, Chamorro Unofficial languages Japanese (used in business transactions), Tagalog (used in conversation) Capital Hagåtña Chief of state George W. Bush Governor Felix Perez Camacho Area - Total - % water Ranked 202nd 549 km² Negligible Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked N... The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

20th century

The 20th century initially brought little peace; colonisation of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea was attempted as a substitute for the loss of the Americas. A period of dictatorial rule (1923-1931) ended with the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic offered political autonomy to the Basque Country and Catalonia and gave voting rights to women. However, with increasing political polarisation and pressure from all sides, coupled with growing and unchecked political violence, the Republic ended with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. Following the victory of the nationalist forces in 1939, General Francisco Franco ruled a nation exhausted politically and economically until his death in 1975. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Western Sahara (EH in ISO 3166-1) is a region of northwestern Africa, bordering Morocco on the north, Algeria on the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. ... Spanish Morocco, sometimes called Spanish Sahara, was the area of Morocco ruled by Spain from up to 1956, when France and Spain recognised Moroccan independence. ... The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a nation in central Africa, and one the smallest countries in continental Africa. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Flag of the Spanish Republics. ... This article is about the traditional Basque domain. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... Alternative meaning: Spanish Civil War, 1820-1823 A republican soldier seeks cover on the Plaza de Toros in Teruel, east of Madrid. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... Generalísimo Francisco Franco, caudillo de España por la gracia de Dios Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde Salgado Pardo de Andrade (December 4, 1892 - November 20, 1975), abbreviated Francisco Franco Bahamonde and sometimes known as Generalísimo Francisco Franco, was dictator of Spain from 1939 until...

After World War II, being one of few surviving fascist regimes in Europe, Spain was politically and economically isolated and was kept out of the United Nations until 1955, when it became strategically important for U.S. president Eisenhower to establish a military presence in the Iberian peninsula. This opening to Spain was aided by Franco's rabid anti-communism. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ...

In the 1960s, more than a decade later than other western European countries, Spain began to enjoy economic growth and gradually transformed into a modern industrial economy with a thriving tourism sector. Growth continued well into the 1970s, with Franco's government going to great lengths to shield the Spanish people from the effects of the oil crisis. Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... For genres of music known as industrial, see industrial music. ... The word economy can refer to any of several things: the economy of the world — see world economy the economy of a country — see economics and economic system Hydrogen economy Judicial economy Political economy Plutonium economy Economy (Eastern Orthodoxy) (concerning a bishops discretionary power to relax rules) Economy, Indiana... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... An Energy Crisis is any great shortfall (or price rise) in the supply of energy to an economy. ...

Upon the death of the dictator General Franco in November 1975, his personally-designated heir Prince Juan Carlos assumed the position of king and head of state. He played a key role in guiding Spain further in its growth into a modern democratic state, notably in opposing an attempted coup d'état in 1981. Spain joined NATO in 1982 and became a member of the European Union in 1986. Dictator was the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ... King Juan Carlos I His Majesty King Juan Carlos I (Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón), styled HM The King (born January 5, 1938), is the reigning King of Spain. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ...

With the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy, the old historic nationalities — Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and Andalusia— were given far-reaching autonomy, which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions, resulting in one of the most decentralized territorial organizations in Western Europe. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... This article is about the traditional Basque domain. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... Motto: Galiza Ceibe Capital Santiago de Compostela Official languages Galician and Castilian Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 7th 29 574 km² 5,8% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 5th 2 737 370 6,5% 92,36/km² Demonym – English – Galician – Spanish Galician galego gallego Statute of Autonomy April... For other uses, see Andalusia (disambiguation). ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades aut nomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades aut nomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ... Western Europe is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ...

On April 21, 2005, the country gave full marriage and adoption rights to homosexual couples.

This is a list of Spanish monarchs - that is, rulers of united Spain. ... This is a collection of family trees of the kingdom of Spain. ... ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Spain Parliamentary democracy was restored following the death of General Franco in 1975, who had ruled since the end of the civil war in 1939. ...

Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament, the Cortes Generales or National Assembly. The executive branch consists of a Council of Ministers presided over by the President of Government (comparable to a prime minister), proposed by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly following legislative elections. A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... This article treats the generic title monarch. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... The Cortes Generales (English: General Courts) is the Spanish legislature. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Alternative meaning: Prime Minister (band) A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the...

The legislative branch is made up of the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) with 350 members, elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms, and a Senate or Senado with 259 seats of which 208 are directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to also serve four-year terms. Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

Spain is, at present, what is called a State of Autonomies, formally unitary but, in fact, functioning as a Federation of Autonomous Communities, each one with different powers (for instance, some have their own educational and health systems, others do not) and laws. There are some problems with this system, since some autonomous governments (especially those dominated by nationalist parties) are seeking a more federalist—or even confederate—kind of relationship with Spain, while the Central Government is trying to restrict what some see as excessive autonomy of some autonomous communities (e.g. Basque Country and Catalonia). This article discusses states as sovereign political entities. ... A federation (from the Latin fœdus, covenant) is a state comprised of a number of self-governing regions (often themselves referred to as states) united by a central (federal) government. ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades aut nomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades aut nomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ... A confederation is an association of sovereign states, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. ... This article is about the traditional Basque domain. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ...

Terrorism is a problem of present-day Spain, since ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) is trying to achieve Basque independence through violent means, including bombings and murders. Although Basque Autonomous government does not condone any kind of violence, the different approaches to the problem are a source of tension between Central and Basque governments. Besides ETA violence, the conflict in the Basque Country is also shaped by the non-acceptance on the part of the Spanish state of the right of Basque people to choose freely their political status. Recently, 2 political parties - which in previous elections had received the support of around 10% of the popular vote- have been banned due to their unwillingness to condemn publicly ETA violence. For other meanings of ETA, see Eta. ...

On February 20th 2005, Spain became the first country to allow its people to vote on the European Union constitution that was signed in October 2004. The rules states that if any country rejects the constitution then the constitution will be declared void. The final result was very strongly in affirmation of the constitution, making Spain the first and so far only country to approve the constitution via referendum (Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia approved it before Spain, but they did not hold referenda). The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ...

Administrative divisions

Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with high degree of autonomy. In addition to its seventeen autonomous communities, Spain is divided into fifty provinces. ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades aut nomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades aut nomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ...

Autonomous communities

Main article: Autonomous communities of Spain Spain consists of 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas) and 2 autonomous cities (ciudades autónomas; Ceuta and Melilla). Download high resolution version (1705x1185, 126 KB)Coloured map of the autonomous communities of Spain. ... Download high resolution version (1705x1185, 126 KB)Coloured map of the autonomous communities of Spain. ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades aut nomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades aut nomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ... Ceuta is a Spanish exclave in North Africa, located on the northernmost tip of Maghreb, on the Mediterranean coast near the Straits of Gibraltar. ... Melilla, known in Arabic as مليلة, and in Tamazight as Tamlit is a Spanish autonomous city on the coast of eastern Morocco, in North Africa. ...

For other uses, see Andalusia (disambiguation). ... Capital Zaragoza Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 4th 47 719 km 9,4% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 11th 1 217 514 2,9% 25,51/km Demonym - English - Spanish Aragonese aragon s Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982 ISO 3166-2 AR Parliamentary representation Congress seats Senate... Capital Oviedo Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 10th 10 604 km² 2,1% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 12th 1 056 789 2,5% 99,65/km² Demonym - English - Spanish Asturian asturiano/a, astur Statute of Autonomy January 11, 1982 ISO 3166-2 O Parliamentary representation Congress seats... Asturian, Astur-Leonese or Bable (Asturianu in Asturian) is a Romance language spoken in some parts of the provinces of Asturias and Le n in Spain, and in the area of Miranda de Douro in Portugal (where it is officially recognized as Mirandese). ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Capital Vitoria-Gasteiz Official languages Basque and Spanish Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 14th 7 234 km² 1,4% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 7th 2 108 281 5,0% 291,44/km² Demonym – English – Basque – Spanish Basque euskal herritar, euskaldun vasco/a, vascongado/a Statute of Autonomy... This article is about the Basque people. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 13th 7 447 km 1,5% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 8th 1 843 755 4,4% 247,58/km Demonym – English – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... Capital Santander Area - Total - % of Spain Ranked 15th 5 321 km² 1. ... Categories: Castile-La Mancha | Autonomous communities of Spain ... Capital Valladolid Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 1st 94,223 km² 18,6% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 6th 2,480,369 5. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Aranese (Aranès or Aranais) is a dialect of Gascon (which is part of the Occitan language group of the Romance languages), spoken in Spain, where it is an official language. ... Capital Mérida Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 5th 41 634 km² 8,2% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 13th 1 073 050 2,6% 25,77/km² Demonym – English – Spanish — extremeño/a Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation – Congress seats – Senate seats... Motto: Galiza Ceibe Capital Santiago de Compostela Official languages Galician and Castilian Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 7th 29 574 km² 5,8% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 5th 2 737 370 6,5% 92,36/km² Demonym – English – Galician – Spanish Galician galego gallego Statute of Autonomy April... Galician (Galego) is a language variety of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia (in the Galician language, Galicia or Galiza), an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. ... La Rioja is a province and autonomous community of northern Spain. ... Capital Madrid Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 12th 8 028 km² 1,6% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 3rd 5 527 152 13,2% 688,48/km² Demonym - English - Spanish Madrilenian madrileño/a Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166-2 M Parliamentary representation Congress seats... Capital Murcia Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 9th 11 313 km² 2,2% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 10th 1 226 993 2,9% 108,46/km² Demonym – English – Spanish Murcian murciano/a Statute of Autonomy June 19, 1982 ISO 3166-2 MU Parliamentary representation – Congress seats – Senate... Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ... This article is about the Basque people. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Capital Valencia Official languages Valencian (Catalan) and Spanish (Castilian) Area – total – % of Spain Ranked 8th 23 255 km² 4,6% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 4th 4 326 708 10,3% 186,05/km² Demonym – English – Valencian – Spanish Valencian valencià/valenciana valenciano/valenciana Statute of Autonomy July 10... This page deals with language. ... Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ...

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Spain In addition to its seventeen autonomous communities, Spain is divided into fifty provinces. ...

The Spanish kingdom is also divided in 50 provinces (provincias). Autonomous communities group provinces (for instance, Extremadura is made of two provinces: Cáceres and Badajoz). The autonomous communities of Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, La Rioja, Navarre, Murcia, and Madrid are each composed of a single province. Traditionally, provinces are usually subdivided into historic regions or comarcas (main article: Comarcas of Spain). Province is a name for a secondary, or subnational entity of government in most countries. ... Capital Mérida Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 5th 41 634 km² 8,2% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 13th 1 073 050 2,6% 25,77/km² Demonym – English – Spanish — extremeño/a Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation – Congress seats – Senate seats... Cáceres province Cáceres is a province of western Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Extremadura. ... Badajoz is a province of western Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Extremadura. ... Asturias - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... Capital Santander Area - Total - % of Spain Ranked 15th 5 321 km² 1. ... La Rioja is a province and autonomous community of northern Spain. ... Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ... Murcia is a city in southeastern Spain, and is the capital of the Autonomous Community of Murcia, on the Segura river. ... Coat of arms The Plaza de España square Madrid, the capital of Spain, is located in the center of the country at 40°25′ N 3°45′ W. Population of the city of Madrid proper was 3,093,000 (Madrilenes, madrileños) as of 2003 estimates. ... Officially, Spain is subdivided into: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas) and two autonomous cities (ciudades autónomas: Ceuta and Melilla). ...

Places of sovereignty

There are also five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberanía) on and off the African coast: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla are administered as autonomous cities, an intermediate status between cities and communities; the islands of the Islas Chafarinas, Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration. In addition to its autonomous communities, Spain has five plazas de soberanía (places of sovereignty) near Morocco administrated directly by Madrids Government. ... Ceuta is a Spanish exclave in North Africa, located on the northernmost tip of Maghreb, on the Mediterranean coast near the Straits of Gibraltar. ... Melilla, known in Arabic as مليلة, and in Tamazight as Tamlit is a Spanish autonomous city on the coast of eastern Morocco, in North Africa. ... Islas Chafarinas is a group of three small islands located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Morocco, 48 km (30 mi) to the east of Melilla and 3. ... Peñón de Alhucemas, or Lavender Rock, is one of the Spanish territories in Morocco or off the Moroccan coast, along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, Islas Chafarinas, and the small disputed islet of Isla Perejil. ... Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is one of the Spanish territories on Morocco or off the Moroccan coast, along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island of Peñón de Alhucemas, Islas Chafarinas and the small disputed islet of Isla Perejil. ...

The Canary islands, Ceuta and Melilla, although not officially historic communities, enjoy a special status. Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 13th 7 447 km 1,5% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 8th 1 843 755 4,4% 247,58/km Demonym – English – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... Ceuta is a Spanish exclave in North Africa, located on the northernmost tip of Maghreb, on the Mediterranean coast near the Straits of Gibraltar. ... Melilla, known in Arabic as مليلة, and in Tamazight as Tamlit is a Spanish autonomous city on the coast of eastern Morocco, in North Africa. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Spain Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France and east of Portugal Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 504,782 km² land: 499,542 km² water: 5,240 km² note: includes Balearic...

Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains with medium rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain is bound to the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands), to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west by the Atlantic Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African coast are found. map of Spain, converted directly from CIA World Factbook GIF File links The following pages link to this file: Spain Geography of Spain Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... For other meanings see: Pyrenees, Victoria and Montes Pyrenaeus. ... The Sierra Nevada, meaning snowy range in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalusia in Spain. ... View over Tejo River from São Jorge Castle in Lisbon (June 2002). ... This article is about the Spanish river. ... View of the river mouth from Portos Crystal Palace Gardens, facing West Douro (Latin Durius, Spanish Duero, Portuguese Douro) is one of the major rivers of Portugal and Spain, flowing from its source near Soria across central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Oporto. ... Guadiana (Latin Anas, Spanish Guadiana, Portuguese Guadiana) - one of the major rivers of Spain, part of it is the border with Portugal, ends in the Atlantic Ocean. ... Guadalquivir is one of the major rivers of Spain. ... For other uses, see Andalusia (disambiguation). ... This article is about a river. ... The River Turia (Valencian: Riu Túria; Spanish: Río Turia) is a waterway running through the Valencian Country and reaching the sea at the City of Valencia. ... -1... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... The Bay of Biscay (French: Golfe de Gascogne; Spanish: Mar Cantábrico) is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 13th 7 447 km 1,5% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 8th 1 843 755 4,4% 247,58/km Demonym – English – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982...

Spain's climate can be divided in four areas: Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ...

The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed it in 1742. ...

Biggest metropolitan areas

For a more complete list, see List of cities in Spain Coat of arms The Plaza de España square Madrid, the capital of Spain, is located in the center of the country at 40°25′ N 3°45′ W. Population of the city of Madrid proper was 3,093,000 (Madrilenes, madrileños) as of 2003 estimates. ... Barcelona within Barcelonès Population ( 2003) 1,582,738 Area 1004 Km2 Population density ( 2001) 15,764/Km2 Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region in northeastern Spain (41º 23 N, 2º 11 E). ... Pavement of a Valencia street, with arbour. ... This article is about the city in Spain. ... Málaga, a port town in the province of Málaga in Andalusia, Southern Spain Malaga, a fortified wine originating in Málaga. ... These are some cities of Spain: Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) Alcobendas (Madrid) Alcorcón (Madrid) Albacete Algeciras (Cádiz) Alicante Almería Altea (Alicante) Aranjuez (Madrid) Ávila Avilés (Asturias) Ayamonte (Huelva) Badajoz Badalona (Barcelona) Bailén (Jaén) Barcelona Benidorm (Alicante) Bilbao/Bilbo (Vizcaya/Bizkaia) Burgos Cáceres C...

Territorial disputes

Spain has called for the return of Gibraltar, a tiny British possession on its southern coast. It changed hands during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1704. The most recent talks dealt with the idea of "total shared sovereignty" over Gibraltar, subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians, who have expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain. The talks have been frozen, after the result of a referendum in Gibraltar where 98% of the people opposed them. See Gibraltar for more information. Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if... Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain. ... Events Building of the Students Monument in Aiud, Romania. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if...

Portugal claims the territory of Olivenza currently located in Extremadura on the basis of decisions promulgated at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Morocco claims the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the uninhabited Vélez, Alhucemas, Chafarinas, and Perejil ("Parsley") islands, all on the northern coast of Africa. Coordinates 38° 45 N, 5° 07 W Mayor Ramón Rocha Maqueda Area 750 km² Population - Density 8,274 11. ... Capital Mérida Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 5th 41 634 km² 8,2% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 13th 1 073 050 2,6% 25,77/km² Demonym – English – Spanish — extremeño/a Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation – Congress seats – Senate seats... The Congress of Vienna (October 1, 1814 - June 9, 1815) was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria. ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. ... Ceuta is a Spanish exclave in North Africa, located on the northernmost tip of Maghreb, on the Mediterranean coast near the Straits of Gibraltar. ... Melilla, known in Arabic as مليلة, and in Tamazight as Tamlit is a Spanish autonomous city on the coast of eastern Morocco, in North Africa. ... Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is one of the Spanish territories on Morocco or off the Moroccan coast, along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island of Peñón de Alhucemas, Islas Chafarinas and the small disputed islet of Isla Perejil. ... Peñón de Alhucemas, or Lavender Rock, is one of the Spanish territories in Morocco or off the Moroccan coast, along with the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the island of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, Islas Chafarinas, and the small disputed islet of Isla Perejil. ... Islas Chafarinas is a group of three small islands located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Morocco, 48 km (30 mi) to the east of Melilla and 3. ... Isla Perejil (Parsley Island, Arabic: Leila (night)) is a small, rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea, 200m off the coast of Morocco, 5km from Ceuta. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Spain Spains accession to the European Community--now European Union (EU)--in January 1986 required the country to open its economy, modernize its industrial base, improve infrastructure, and revise economic legislation to conform to EU guidelines. ...

Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 87% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President Aznar successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency, the euro, on 1 January 1999. The Aznar administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the Aznar administration but remains high at 11.7%. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. Incoming President Rodríguez Zapatero, whose party won the election three days after the Madrid train bombings in March, plans to reduce government intervention in business, combat tax fraud, and support innovation, research and development, but also intends to reintroduce labor market regulations that had been scrapped by the Aznar government. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years. Western Europe is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ... Euro (disambiguation). ... A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a government. ... Unemployment rates in the United States. ... Coat of arms The Plaza de España square Madrid, the capital of Spain, is located in the center of the country at 40°25′ N 3°45′ W. Population of the city of Madrid proper was 3,093,000 (Madrilenes, madrileños) as of 2003 estimates. ...

Languages

Main article: Demographics of Spain Spains population density, lower than that of most European countries, is roughly equivalent to New Englands. ...

The Spanish Constitution, although affirming the sovereignty of the Spanish Nation, recognises historical nationalities.

The Castilian-derived Spanish (called both Español and Castellano in the language itself) is the official language throughout Spain, but other regional languages are also spoken. Without mentioning them by name, the Spanish Constitution recognizes the possibility of regional languages being coofficial in their respective autonomous communities. The following languages are coofficial with Spanish according to the appropriate Autonomy Statutes. This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country - it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ... The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. ...

Catalan, Galician, Aranese (Occitan) and Spanish (Castilian) are all descended from Latin and have their own dialects, some championed as separate languages by their speakers (the Valencià of València, a dialect of Catalan, is one example). Catalan (Català, Valencià) is a Romance language spoken by as many as approximately 12 million people in portions of Spain, France, Andorra and Italy, although the majority of Catalan speakers are in Spain. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... Capital Valencia Official languages Valencian (Catalan) and Spanish (Castilian) Area – total – % of Spain Ranked 8th 23 255 km² 4,6% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 4th 4 326 708 10,3% 186,05/km² Demonym – English – Valencian – Spanish Valencian valencià/valenciana valenciano/valenciana Statute of Autonomy July 10... Basque is the language spoken by the Basque people, who live in northern Spain and the adjoining area of southwestern France. ... This article is about the traditional Basque domain. ... Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ... Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies Indo-European is originally a linguistic term, referring to the Indo-European language family. ... Galician (Galego) is a language variety of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia (in the Galician language, Galicia or Galiza), an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. ... Motto: Galiza Ceibe Capital Santiago de Compostela Official languages Galician and Castilian Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 7th 29 574 km² 5,8% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 5th 2 737 370 6,5% 92,36/km² Demonym – English – Galician – Spanish Galician galego gallego Statute of Autonomy April... Occitan, or langue doc is a Romance language characterized by its richness, variability, and by the intelligibility of its dialects. ... Aranese (Aranès or Aranais) is a dialect of Gascon (which is part of the Occitan language group of the Romance languages), spoken in Spain, where it is an official language. ... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... This page deals with language. ... The Hemispheric at the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències by Santiago Calatrava, Valencia, Spain. ...

There are also some other surviving Romance minority languages: Asturian, in Asturias and parts of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca, and the Extremaduran in Caceres and Salamanca, both descendents of the historical Astur-Leonese dialect; the Aragonese or fabla in part of Aragon; the xalimegian or a fala in Extremadura; and some Portuguese dialectal towns in Extremadura and Castile-Leon. However, unlike Catalan, Galician, and Basque, these do not have any official status. The Romance languages, also called Romanic languages, are a subfamily of the Italic languages, specifically the descendants of the Vulgar Latin dialects spoken by the common people evolving in different areas after the break-up of the Roman Empire. ... A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a country. ... Asturian, Astur-Leonese or Bable (Asturianu in Asturian) is a Romance language spoken in some parts of the provinces of Asturias and Le n in Spain, and in the area of Miranda de Douro in Portugal (where it is officially recognized as Mirandese). ... Asturias - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The name Leon or León may refer to: Places in Spain León, city Leon, province Castile-Leon, autonomous community Kingdom of León, historical kingdom Places in Central America León, Guanajuato, Mexico León, Nicaragua Places in the United States De Leon, Texas DeLeon Springs, Florida Leon, Iowa Leon, Kansas Leon, New... See also the Spanish football Zamora Trophy. ... For other places named Salamanca, see Salamanca (disambiguation). ... Extremaduran is a Romance language spoken by some thousands in Spain, most of them in the autonomous community of Extremadura and the province of Salamanca. ... The following places are called C ceres: The C ceres province in Spain. ... For other places named Salamanca, see Salamanca (disambiguation). ... Categories: Pages containing IPA | Language stubs | Romance languages | Languages of Spain ... Capital Zaragoza Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 4th 47 719 km 9,4% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 11th 1 217 514 2,9% 25,51/km Demonym - English - Spanish Aragonese aragon s Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982 ISO 3166-2 AR Parliamentary representation Congress seats Senate...

Berber language is spoken among Muslims in Ceuta and Melilla. Afro-Asiatic - Berber The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ...

In the touristic areas of the Mediterranean costas and the islands, German and English are spoken by tourists, foreign residents and tourism workers. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Many linguists claim that most of the Spanish language variants spoken in Latin America (Mexican, Argentinian, Colombian, Peruvian, etc. variants) descended from the Spanish spoken in southwestern Spain (Andalusia and Extremadura). Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... For other uses, see Andalusia (disambiguation). ... Capital Mérida Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 5th 41 634 km² 8,2% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 13th 1 073 050 2,6% 25,77/km² Demonym – English – Spanish — extremeño/a Statute of Autonomy February 26, 1983 ISO 3166-2 EX Parliamentary representation – Congress seats – Senate seats...

Identities

Spain is considered by many, including a large part of Spanish population, to be a group of nations unified under a single State, much like Belgium, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Despite this, the policy of many Spanish governments has led to a "Spanish nationhood" which is the one people identify with Spain internationally. The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ...

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 recognizes historic entities ("nationalities", not "nations") such as Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country or Navarre. In the 19th and 20th centuries, similar recognition was rare and short-lived. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... Motto: Galiza Ceibe Capital Santiago de Compostela Official languages Galician and Castilian Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 7th 29 574 km² 5,8% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 5th 2 737 370 6,5% 92,36/km² Demonym – English – Galician – Spanish Galician galego gallego Statute of Autonomy April... This article is about the traditional Basque domain. ... Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ...

But Spain's identity is, in fact, an overlap of different national identities, some of them even conflicting.

Castile is considered to be by many the "core" of Spain. However, this may just be a reflection of the fact that the Castilian national identity was the first one to be quashed by the Spanish Empire in the revolt of the Communards (comuneros). Today, Castilians generally consider themselves to be Spanish first, with regional identity being of lesser importance.

The opposite is the case of Galicians, Asturians, Catalans and Basques, who quite frequently identify primarily with Galicia, Asturias, Catalonia and the Basque Country first, with Spain only second, or even third, after Europe.

The situation is even more confusing, since there are regions with ambiguous identities, like Navarre, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, etc. There has been a lot of internal migration (rural exodus) from regions like Galicia, Andalusia and Extremadura to Madrid, Catalonia, Basque Country and the islands. Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ... Pavement of a Valencia street, with arbour. ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official languages Catalan and Castilian Area - total - % of Spain Ranked 17th 4 992 km 1,0% Population - Total (2003) - % of Spain - Density Ranked 14th 916 968 2,2% 183,69/km Demonym - English - Catalan - Spanish Balearic balear balear Statute of Autonomy March 1, 1983 ISO 3166... Capitals Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Santa Cruz de Tenerife Area – Total – % of Spain Ranked 13th 7 447 km 1,5% Population – Total (2003) – % of Spain – Density Ranked 8th 1 843 755 4,4% 247,58/km Demonym – English – Spanish Canary Islander canario/a Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982... Rural exodus is a term used to describe the migratory patterns that normally occur in a region following the mechanisation of agriculture. ...

Until 1714, Spain was a loose confederation of kingdoms and statelets, under the same king, until King Philip V removed the autonomous status of the Aragonese crown. Moreover, the creation of a unified state in the 19th and 20th centuries has lead to the present situation, apparently simple, but sometimes extremely confusing. During the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936), the Basque and Catalan were given limited self-government, which was lost after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and restored in 1978 during the transition to democracy. King Philip V of Spain (1683-1746) was king of Spain from 1700 to 1746, the first of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. ... Flag of the Spanish Republics. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Alternative meaning: Spanish Civil War, 1820-1823 A republican soldier seeks cover on the Plaza de Toros in Teruel, east of Madrid. ... Events January January 1 - The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. ... The Spanish transition to democracy or new bourbon restoration was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. ...

Minority groups

The most important minority group in the country are the Gitanos. Other indigenous minorities are Mercheros (or Quinquis) and Vaqueiros de alzada.- The latter, meaning "Mountain cow-breeders" dwell in mountain ranges in the Principality of Asturias and have kept historically apart from the valley dwellers. Foreign minorities include South Americans from countries like Argentina, Ecuador or Colombia; black Africans; Arabs and Berbers mainly from Morocco and other countries of North Africa; and Asians from China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The Gitanos are Roma people living in Spain. ... Quinqui is an argot with roots in Caló and German. ... Vaqueiros de alzada were a northern Spanish nomadic people who practiced transhumance, the practice of moving seasonally with cattle. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Argentina is a country in southern South America, situated between the Andes in the west and the southern Atlantic Ocean in the east. ... The Republic of Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. ... The Republic of Colombia is a country in north-western South America. ... Arab (disambiguation). ... The Berbers (also called Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group indigenous to the Maghreb, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. ... The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. ... Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area - Total - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0. ... Korea is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the west and Russia to the north. ... The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. ...

Religion

Roman Catholicism is, by far, the most popular religion in the country, with four in five Spaniards (80%) self-identifying as Catholics. The next group (one in eight, or 12%) is represented by atheists or agnostics. Minority religions account for one in seventy (1.4%) of all Spaniards. 1928 One peseta Spanish postage stamp Pius XI and Alfonso XIII This image of a postage stamp may be copyrighted and/or have other restrictions on its reproduction imposed by the issuing authority. ... 1928 One peseta Spanish postage stamp Pius XI and Alfonso XIII This image of a postage stamp may be copyrighted and/or have other restrictions on its reproduction imposed by the issuing authority. ... Pius XI (born Achille Ratti May 31, 1857 - Rome, February 10, 1939) was Pope from February 6, 1922 until February 10, 1939. ... Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII of Spain ( May 17, 1886 – February 28, 1941), King of Spain, posthumous son of Alfonso XII of Spain, was proclaimed King at his birth. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Atheism is the state either of being without theistic beliefs, or of actively disbelieving in the existence of deities. ... Agnosticism is the philosophical and theological view that spiritual truth, such as the existence of God, gods or deities, is either unknown or inherently unknowable. ...

According to membership [1] (http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_jw.html), the second religion of Spain is the organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses with 103,784 active publishers; there are also many Protestant denominations, all of them with less than 50,000 members, and about 20,000 Mormons. Evangelism has been better received among Gypsies than among the general population; pastors have integrated flamenco music in their liturgy. Taken together, all self-described "Evangelicals" slightly surpass Jehovah's Witnesses in number. Jehovahs Witnesses (JW) are members of a worldwide Christian denomination. ... The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel. ... The Rroma people (pronounced rahma, singular Rrom) along with the closely related Sinti people are commonly known as Gypsies. ... Flamenco performance by the La Primavera group Flamenco is a song, music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos, but which has its deeper roots in Moorish musical traditions. ...

The recent waves of immigration have led to an increasing number of Muslims, who have about 800,000 members. Muslims were forcibly converted in 1492 and then expelled in the 16th century. Since the expulsion of the Sephardim in 1492, Judaism was practically nonexistent until the 19th century. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... In the strictest sense, a Sephardi (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Səfardim, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardîm) is a Jew original to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal: ספרד, Standard Hebrew Səfárad, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄áraḏ / Səp̄āraḏ), or whose ancestors were among the Jews expelled from...

Over the past thirty years, Spain has become a more secularised society. The number of believers has decreased significantly and for those who believe the degree of accordance and practice to their church is quite diverse.

According to the latest official poll (CIS, 2002) (http://www.cis.es/Catalogo/Estudio.aspx?year=&barometro=&ultimosestudios=&tema=119&estudio=2170&cuestionario=2190&muestra=5485), 80% of Spaniards self-identify as Catholic, 12% as non-believer, and 1% as other (the remaining 7% declined to state). Of the 1.4% identifying as other, 29% identified as Evangelical Christian, 26% as Jehovah's Witnesses and 3% as Muslim (the rest either mentioned smaller religions or declined to state). According to the same poll, 73% believe in God, 14% don't and 12% are unsure (1% declined to state). Additionally, according to this poll, only 41% believe in Heaven. 24% of the Spaniards think that the Bible is just a fable. Only 25% of Catholics go to church at least once a week. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Evangelicalism, in a strictly lexical, but rarely used sense, refers to all things that are implied in belief that Jesus is the savior. ... Jehovahs Witnesses (JW) are members of a worldwide Christian denomination. ... The heavens are the sky, the celestial sphere, or outer space. ... The Bible (From Greek βιβλιος biblios, meaning book, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ...

According to the CIA World Factbook, 94% of Spaniards are Roman Catholic. This is consistent with the Catholic Church's practice to claim all baptized as Catholic regardless of self-identification, and with the CIS poll's finding that 91% to 96% of all parents are remembered as being Catholics. While 80% of Spaniards self-describing as Catholics, 94% report having baptized their children but only 79% being inclined to baptize new children. 90% had a religious wedding. World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Spain The culture of Spain has roots in Iberian and Latin influences, Catholicism, Moorish Islam, tension between the centralized Castilian state and its regions, and its minority peoples. ...

This is a list of Spaniards that are famous or notable. ... Spanish cuisine is made of very different kinds of dishes due to the differences in geography, culture and climate. ... List of football clubs in Spain sorted by division: First Division teams (2004/2005 season) Albacete Balompie FC Barcelona Real Betis Athletic Bilbao Deportivo de La Coruña RCD Espanyol Getafe CF Levante UD Málaga CF RCD Mallorca Atlético de Madrid Real Madrid CD Numancia CA Osasuna Racing... The Spaniards are particularly averse to borrowing from the intellectual treasures of other nations. ... Bonfires of Saint John is the popular festival of Alicante, in the south east of Spain. ... Bull attacking a matador Bullfighting or tauromachy ( Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a blood sport that involves, most of the times, professional performers ( matadores) who execute various formal moves with the goal of appearing graceful and confident, while masterful over the... For many people, Spanish music is virtually synonymous with flamenco, an Andalucian-Gitano form of music. ...

International rankings

Reporters Without Borders, or RWB ( French: Reporters sans frontières, or RSF) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to freedom of the press. ... Front cover, February 21, 2004 The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication of The Economist Newspaper Limited in London. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ...

Further reading

John Hickman and Chris Little, "Seat/Vote Proportionality in Romanian and Spanish Parliamentary Elections", Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans Volume 2, Number 2, November 2000.

Miscellaneous topics

Main article: List of Spain-related topics Shortcut: Spain topics This is a list of topics related to Spain. ...

Telephones - main lines in use: 17. ... Railways total: 15,988 km (most railways in Spain are operated by RENFE, narrow-gauge lines are operated by FEVE and other carriers in individual autonomous communitites) broad gauge (1668 mm): 12,781 km (6,358 km electrified; 2,295 km double track) standard gauge (1435 mm): 525 km (high... A white Seat 600 SEAT is one of the leading car makers in Spain. ... Biscúter was a microcar manufactured in Spain during the mid_20th century. ... Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, Coastal Civil Guard Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,569,785 (2000 est. ... After the return of democracy following the death of General Franco in 1975, Spains foreign policy priorities were to break out of the diplomatic isolation of the Franco years and expand diplomatic relations, enter the European Community, and define security relations with the West. ... Tourism > Tourism in Spain Spain is the second most-visited tourism destination in the World after France. ... These are some cities of Spain: Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) Alcobendas (Madrid) Alcorcón (Madrid) Albacete Algeciras (Cádiz) Alicante Almería Altea (Alicante) Aranjuez (Madrid) Ávila Avilés (Asturias) Ayamonte (Huelva) Badajoz Badalona (Barcelona) Bailén (Jaén) Barcelona Benidorm (Alicante) Bilbao/Bilbo (Vizcaya/Bizkaia) Burgos Cáceres C... This is a list of municipalities in Spain by provinces: Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Municipalities of A Coruña Municipalities of Álava Municipalities of Albacete... In addition to its autonomous communities, Spain has five plazas de soberanía (places of sovereignty) near Morocco administrated directly by Madrids Government. ... Because of the large number of bird species in Spain, this list has been split into two parts: List of Spanish birds: non-passerines List of Spanish birds: passerines Categories: Regional bird lists | Spain ... This is a list of the national parks of Spain. ... The Spanish nobility is the system of titles and honours of Spain and of the former kingdoms that constitute it. ...

External links

Front cover, February 21, 2004 The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication of The Economist Newspaper Limited in London. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA), freely available for use by researchers. ... Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

European Union (EU)

Austria | Belgium | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta | Netherlands | Poland | Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 13 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Croatia Cyprus Economy of Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Council of Europe Economy of Denmark Drachma European Union Estonia Euro European Parliament Talk:European Union European Free Alliance... Fixed size, hues based on World Flag Database. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... General info: Large flag of Cyprus Dimensions: 503x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... General info: Large flag of the Czech Republic Dimensions: 453x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... General info: Large civil flag of Denmark Dimensions: 399x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia Foreign relations of Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria AZ Alkmaar Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... Tricolore of France Created by User:Anthony S. Tsoumbris French Tricolore flag File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam A.S. Roma A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Corsica Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Large flag of Greece Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... Large flag of Hungary Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and... The Republic of Ireland ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 1 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. A.S. Roma A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany Greece Hungary... The Republic of Latvia ( Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia ( Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... Large flag of Lithuania Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... Headline text File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... Flag of Malta. ... This article is about the European nation. ... Large flag of the Netherlands. ... Large flag of Poland Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Fulham F.C. Football World Cup... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany Greece Hungary... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... Large Flag of Slovenia, originally from flags of the CIA World Factbook, 2004. ... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... Source: Sodipodis Clipart Gallery. ... Large flag of Sweden Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Union Flag / Union Jack: Flag of the United Kingdom For more information, see Court of the Lord Lyon, Flags. ...

Categories: European countries | Monarchies | Spain | European Union member states This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Albania is a Mediterranean country in southeastern Europe. ... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan) is a country in the Caucasus, in the crossroads of Europe and Southwest Asia, with an east coast on the Caspian Sea. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь or Biełaruś, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия), Polish: Białoruś) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... The Republic of Croatia is a crescent-shaped country in Europe bordering the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Iceland - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Ireland ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Latvia ( Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia ( Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... The Principality of Liechtenstein ( German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a small, doubly landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... National motto: None Official languages Macedonian2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski Area - Total - % water Ranked 145th 25,713 km² 1. ... This article is about the European nation. ... This article refers to the Republic of Moldova. ... The Principality of Monaco or Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco or Monaco; Monegasque: Munegu or Principatu de Munegu) is a city state and the second-smallest country in the world, wedged in between the Mediterranean Sea and France along the French Riviera or Côte dAzur (The Blue Coast). ... The Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering Sweden, Finland and Russia, with territorial waters bordering Danish and British waters. ... The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and... Romania (formerly spelled Rumania or Roumania; Romanian: România) is a country in southeastern Europe. ... San Marino (disambiguation). ... Serbia and Montenegro ( Serbian: Србија и Црна Гора, often abbreviated as SCG) is the name of the union of Serbia and Montenegro, two former Yugoslav republics united since 2003 in a loose confederation. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total ( 2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... Ukraine (Україна, Ukrayina in Ukrainian; Украина in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest and the Black Sea to the south. ... The State of the Vatican City ( Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanæ), is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population). ... The coat of arms of the Holy See The term Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... Dependency has a number of meanings: In project management, a dependency is a link amongst a projects terminal elements. ... Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA Akrotiri (also known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (also known as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA) are UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus, a former British Crown Colony. ... Motto: None Official language Faroese Capital Tórshavn Monarch Margrethe II Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard Area - Total - % water World ranking: 189th 1,399 km² — Population - Total (2004) - Density World ranking: 211th 48,228 33. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if... The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. ... Jan Mayen Jan Mayen Island, a part of the Kingdom of Norway, is a 373-square-kilometer arctic volcanic island partly covered by glaciers and divided into two parts by a narrow isthmus. ... The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British crown dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. ... The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin in Manx), a British crown dependency, lies in the Irish Sea almost equidistant from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ... Svalbard, a part of the Kingdom of Norway, including one municipality (Longyearbyen), lies in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe. ... A bicontinental country is a country whose contiguous continental territory (or in case an island state - its different islands) lie in two different continents. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

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