2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

note

three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791) 15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Airports

152 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23

total

93

under 914 m

27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

59 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m

43 (2002)

Area

land

499,542 sq km

note

there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

total

504,782 sq km

water

5,240 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Background

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment. Geography Spain

Birth rate

10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2000 est.)

revenues

$105 billion

Capital

Madrid

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

Constitution

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form

Spain

local short form

Espana

Currency

euro (EUR)

note

on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$90 billion (1993 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador George L. ARGYROS

embassy

Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address

PSC 61, APO AE 09642

telephone

[34] (91) 587-2200

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubio

consulate(s) general

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

Disputes - international

Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds; Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to territories around the town of Olivenza, Spain

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.5 (1990)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government 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 has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. The government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reduced cooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. 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.

Electricity - consumption

210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

50.4%

hydro

18.2%

nuclear

27.2%

other

4.1% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Ethnic groups

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers designated by the president

chief of state

King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968

election results

Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections

elections

the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president

head of government

President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since 4 September 2003)

note

there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government

Exports

$122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Exports - partners

France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%, US 4.6% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 833-5670

[34] (91) 587-2303

consulate(s) general

Barcelona

telephone

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

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Spain

Flag 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 Economy Spain

GDP

purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

31%

services

65% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar People Spain

Government type

parliamentary monarchy

Heliports

7 (2002) Military Spain

Highways

paved

657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)

total

663,795 km

unpaved

6,638 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

130,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.2% (1990)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Illicit drugs

key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)

Imports - partners

France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8% (2002)

Independence

the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

4.94 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.es

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

56 (2000)

Internet users

7.89 million (2002) Transportation Spain

Irrigated land

36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Labor force

17.1 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation

services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

total

1,917.8 km

Land use

arable land

28.6%

other

61.84% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

9.56%

Languages

Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%

note

Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally

Legal system

civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE 34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127, PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5

elections

Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.8 years (2003 est.)

male

75.87 years

total population

79.23 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.2% (2003 est.) Government Spain

male

98.7%

total population

97.9%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

exclusive economic zone

200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

40.1 years (2002)

male

37.4 years

total

38.7 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 13, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 4

total

140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$8.6 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.15% (2002) Transnational Issues Spain

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

10,524,715 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

8,391,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

255,826 (2003 est.)

Morocco

Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994

National holiday

Hispanic Day, 12 October

Nationality

adjective

Spanish

noun

Spaniard(s)

Natural gas - consumption

17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

254.9 million cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

10.5 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 7,290 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,110 km; unknown (oil/water) 397 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)

Population

40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.16% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

13.1 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)

narrow gauge

1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)

standard gauge

455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified)

total

14,189 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

17.336 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

8.394 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations

224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)

note

these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions

16.2 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.3% (2002 est.)

Waterways

1,045 km (of minor economic importance)