Country Information - Spain

Spain is situated in the South of Europe and takes up the major part of the Iberian Peninsula. Its total area is 504.645 km² and apart from the mainland, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands as well as the cities Ceuta and Melilla on the Moroccan Coast belong to Spain. The country shares borders with Portugal in its West and France and Andorra in the North. The Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are its natural borders in the East, South and the Northwest.

92 % of the Spanish population belongs to the Roman-Catholic Church. That's why the country is also being called the Catholic Nation. However, today less than 50% of Spaniards would call themselves religious. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church has still a great influence.

Spanish is the official language in all of its different regions and parts. But in some of Spains autonomous communities Catalan, Galician and Basque are officially recognized languages, too.

Some of the other regional languages:

Catalán

Valenciano

Gallego

Mallorquin

Bable

Approx. 507 : Visigoth flee to the Iberian Peninsula

A Muslim army beats the Visigoths and soon occupies the whole kingdom

The next centuries are shaped by conflicts between Christians and Muslims

1212: Almost the whole Iberian Peninsula is back under Christian influence and rule

12th to 15th century: Spain develops into a global power

1348: Millions of people fall victim to the Plague

1474: Castilian heiress to the throne declares herself Queen

1492 Christopher Columbus discovers America for the Spanish Crown1945 – 1964: Cold war between Russia and the States

1524: First administrative structures in America

1532: Begin of Peru conquest

1535: Viceroyalty New Spain in Mexico

1561: Madrid becomes Spain's capital

1635: France declares war on Spain. Begin of the Thirty Years' War.

During the middle of the 17th century Spain loses more and more Caribbean Islands.

1807: Napoleon occupies Spain until 1813

The following years Spain is shaped by riots and internal conflicts. Spain loses last colonies.

1889: Begin of the Spanish-American War

1923 -1930 Military dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera

1931: Republic declaration

1936: Spanish Civil War. Franco takes over power.

1975: Franco dies. Begin of democratization of the country.

1978: New constitution

1986: Spain joins the European Union

Spain is a popular travel destination because of its climate. Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate and the summers are usually very warm and humid. The average temperature is 21 degrees Celsius in May already. The winters are mild, but rainy.

Seville is one of the hottest cities in the whole of Europe with an average of 300 sun days a year. Even in winter, temperatures hardly fall beneath the freezing point.