2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

note

the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all located along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426) 65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

157 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 24

total

96

under 914 m

26 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m

44 (2006)

Area

land

499,542 sq km

note

there are 2 autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 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). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and relatively high unemployment. Geography Spain

Birth rate

10.06 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2006 est.)

revenues

$488.2 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

40 24 N, 3 41 W

name

Madrid

note

Spain is divided into two time zones, including the Canary Islands

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 long form

Reino de Espana

local short form

Espana

Currency (code)

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

Current account balance

$-98.6 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.

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 Carlos WESTENDORP

telephone

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

Disputes - international

in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.5 (1990)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% 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 8.7%. Growth averaging 3% annually during 2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strong economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing significant downside risks remain, including Spain's continued loss of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the country's changing demographic profile and a decline in EU structural funds.

Electricity - consumption

241.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

11.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

8.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

263.3 billion kWh (2004)

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

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Ethnic groups

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

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 Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

elections

the monarchy 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 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president

head of government

President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)

note

there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding

Exports

$222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods

Exports - partners

France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 8.4%, US 4.1% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 833-5670

[34] (91) 587-2303

consulate(s) general

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

consulate(s) general

Barcelona

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 - composition by sector

agriculture

3.9%

industry

29.4%

services

66.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$27,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.081 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.07 trillion (2006 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

8 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

140,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.2% (1990)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Illicit drugs

key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Imports - partners

Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands 5%, China 4.2% (2005)

Independence

the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century AD 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

0.6% (2006 est.)

Industries

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Infant mortality rate

female

3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

4.76 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.es

Internet hosts

2,520,711 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

56 (2000)

Internet users

19,204,771 (2006) Transportation Spain

Investment (gross fixed)

29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

37,800 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Labor force

21.77 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

5.3%

industry

30.1%

services

64.6% (2004 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

27.18%

other

62.97% (2005)

permanent crops

9.85%

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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

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 49%, PSOE 37.98%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC 2.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%, CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 5, CC 3, other 5

elections

Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.2 years (2006 est.)

male

76.32 years

total population

79.65 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

Manpower available for military service

females age 20-49

9,155,057 (2005 est.)

males age 20-49

9,366,588

Manpower fit for military service

females age 20-49

7,434,465 (2005 est.)

males age 20-49

7,623,356

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 20-49

221,805 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

233,384

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

41.3 years (2006 est.)

male

38.6 years

total

39.9 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27, liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned

36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7)

registered in other countries

112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4, Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)

total

169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9,906.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (2003) Transnational Issues Spain

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age (2004)

National holiday

National Day, 12 October

Nationality

adjective

Spanish

noun

Spaniard(s)

Natural gas - consumption

27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

339 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines

gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai (a coalition of four Navarran parties) [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; 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 Trigo]

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; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.

Population

40,397,842 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

19.8%

Population growth rate

0.13% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna, Tarragona, Valencia Military Spain

Public debt

39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

13.1 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)

narrow gauge

1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)

standard gauge

998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)

total

14,873 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

659,629 km (including 12,009 km of expressways)

total

666,292 km

unpaved

6,663 km (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2006 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

Spanish Armed Forces

Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons

international

country code - 34; 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

18.322 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

41.328 million (2005)

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

1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.7% (2006 est.)

Waterways

1,000 km (2003)