1996 Edition

Description

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Location

40 00 N, 4 00 W -- Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

land area

499,400 sq km

note

includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

total area

504,750 sq km

Climate

temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Coastline

4,964 km

Environment

current issues

pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

international agreements

party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

periodic droughts

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Geographic note

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

International disputes

Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

Irrigated land

33,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km

note

excludes the length of the boundary between the places of sovereignty and Morocco

total

1,903.2 km

Land use

arable land

31%

forest and woodland

31%

meadows and pastures

21%

other

7%

permanent crops

10%

Location

Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower

Terrain

large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

highest point

Pico de Teide on Canary Islands 3,718 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 3,237,942; female 3,055,881) 15-64 years: 68% (male 13,380,956; female 13,352,582) 65 years and over: 16% (male 2,566,728; female 3,587,025) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

10.04 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.86 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Infant mortality rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Castilian Spanish, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.81 years (1996 est.)

male

74.95 years

total population

78.26 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1986 est.)

female

94%

male

98%

total population

96%

Nationality

adjective

Spanish

noun

Spaniard(s)

Net migration rate

0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

39,181,114 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.16% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other sects 1%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencia, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco

note

there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown

Capital

Madrid

Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados)

elections last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by March 2000); results - PP 38.9%, PSOE 37.5%, IU 10.7%, CiU 4.6%; seats - (350 total) PSOE 141, PP 156, IU 21, CiU 16, other 16

Constitution

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Council of State

is the supreme consultative organ of the government

Data code

SP

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Jaime De OJEDA Eiseley

telephone

[1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was designated by the prime minister

chief of state

King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975) is a hereditary monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Jose Maria AZNAR (since 5 May 1996) was proposed by the king and voted into office by the National Assembly on 4 May 1996; AZNAR's Popular Party defeated Felipe GONZALEZ Marques's Socialist Workers Party in the 3 March 1996 legislative election; Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)

FAX

[1] (202) 833-5670

[34] (1) 577-5735

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

Barcelona

Flag

three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Independence

1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 8, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)

Legal system

civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly (Las Cortes Generales)

Name of country

conventional long form

Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form

Spain

local short form

Espana

National holiday

National Day, 12 October

Other political or pressure groups

on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group (GRAPO) use terrorism to oppose the government; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Workers Confederation (CC.OO); the Socialist General Union of Workers (UGT), and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union (USO); business and landowning interests; the Catholic Church; Opus Dei; university students

Political parties and leaders

principal national parties from right to left: Popular Party (PP), Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez; Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez, secretary general; Spanish Communist Party (PCE), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez; United Left (IU - a coalition of parties including the PCE, a branch of the PSOE, and other small parties), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez

chief regional parties

Convergence and Union (CiU), Jordi PUJOL, secretary general (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC), Pere ESTEVE, and the Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC), Josep Antoni DURAN LLEIDA); Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), Xabier ARZALLUS Antia and Jose Antonio ARDANZA; Basque United People (HB or Herri Batasuna, ETA's political wing), Juan Cruz IDIGORAS; Canarian Coalition (CC), a coalition of five parties

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by March 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (256 total) PP 132, PSOE 96, CiU 11, PNV 6, IU 2, others 9

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Richard N. GARDNER

embassy

Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address

APO AE 09642

telephone

[34] (1) 577-4000, 577-2301

Agriculture

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons is among top 20 nations

Budget

expenditures

$122.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (1994 est.)

revenues

$96.8 billion

Currency

1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $1.213 billion (1993)

Economic overview

Spain, with a mixed capitalist economy and a per capita GDP two-thirds that of the four leading economies of Western Europe, has shared with these countries the recession of the early 1990s, the gradual upturn of 1994-95, and the ongoing controversies over the timing and terms of European economic union. Reduction of the budget deficit - at 5.9% of GDP in 1995 - to meet the Maastricht monetary convergence criterion of 3% by 1997 remains the primary goal of Spanish economic policy, but political pressures had kept the Socialist government from implementing the full range of reforms necessary to meet this goal. Spain's official unemployment rate of 23% is the highest in the EU, and the troubled Socialists had been reluctant to cut social spending. Parliament rejected the administration's proposed 1996 budget because of political wrangling - not because of great differences with the substance of the spending plan - forcing the government to continue spending at 1995 levels and use piecemeal decrees to raise consumption taxes to a level consistent with inflation. The conservative opposition Popular Party, now in power after ending 13 years of Socialist rule in the spring of 1996, has promised to cut government spending, loosen regulations on financial markets, and lower taxes to spur job creation. The conservatives have stated support for Spain's role in the EU but also have cautioned against harming Spain's economy by moving too quickly to meet the criteria for monetary union.

Electricity

capacity

43,800,000 kW

consumption per capita

3,545 kWh (1993)

production

148 billion kWh

Exchange rates

pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 123.19 (January 1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991)

Exports

$85 billion (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities

cars and trucks, semifinished manufactured goods, foodstuffs, machinery

partners

EU 68.7%, US 4.9%, other developed countries 7.9% (1994)

External debt

$90 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $565 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

3.6%

industry

33.6%

services

62.8% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita

$14,300 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Imports

$110 billion (c.i.f., 1995)

commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

partners

EU 60.9%, US 7.3%, other developed countries 11.5%, Middle East 6.2% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (1995 est.)

Industries

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.3% (1995)

Labor force

11.837 million

by occupation

services 59%, industry 21%, agriculture 11%, construction 9% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

22.8% (yearend 1995)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $6.3 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

10,360,209

males fit for military service

8,370,197

males reach military age (20) annually

341,670 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 190, FM 406 (repeaters 134), shortwave 0

Radios

12 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

generally adequate, modern facilities

domestic

NA

international

22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat, NA Inmarsat, and NA Marecs; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Telephones

12.6 million (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

100 (repeaters 1,297)

Televisions

15.7 million (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

96

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

15

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

11

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

13

with paved runways over 3 047 m

15

with paved runways under 914 m

28

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

12 (1995 est.)

Heliports

2 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

328,641 km (including 2,700 km of expressways)

total

331,961 km

unpaved

3,320 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 9, cargo 36, chemical tanker 11, combination ore/oil 1, container 8, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 25, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 32, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)

total

147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 874,688 GRT/1,391,421 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km

Ports

Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Puerto de Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Railways

broad gauge

12,139 km 1.668-m gauge (6,510 km electrified; 2,295 km double track)

narrow gauge

1,716 km (privately owned: 1,669 km 1.000-m gauge, 489 km electrified; 28 km 0.914-m gauge, 28 km electrified; government

owned

19 km 1.000-m gauge, all electrified)

standard gauge

488 km 1.435-m gauge (488 km electrified)

total

14,343 km

Waterways

1,045 km, but of minor economic importance