Spain Information

Spain, Espana

Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe after France. Spain is located in Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, it is southwest of France.

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.

Economic Overview from the CIA: The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging five percent 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 10.1%. Growth of 2.5% in 2003, 2.6% in 2004, and 3.4% in 2005 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has initiated economic and social reforms that are generally popular among the masses of people, but that are anathema to religious and other conservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, and absorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

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).

Spain

Phone international country code 34

Spain Government

Spain from US Sources

Spain Cities and Provinces

A Coruña Spain

A Coruña

A city and province in northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of Galicia. The province is bordered by the province of Lugo to the east and Pontevedra to the south, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the north by the Bay of Biscay.

Alicante Spain

A province in eastern Spain

Barcelona Spain

Barcelona Beach

Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city in Catalonia and the second largest city population in Spain.
Airport Code BCN

Barcelona Brief History

Bilbao Spain

The largest City in the Basque Region

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Spain

Madrid Spain

The capital of Spain

Málaga Spain

Málaga

Málaga is in Andalusia in southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun), about 100 km east of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Palma de Mallorca Spain

Pamplona Spain

Santa Cruz De Tene-Rife Spain

Sevilla Spain

Valencia Spain

Valladolid Spain

Vitória Spain
Vitoria-Gasteiz Spain

Vitória is the capital of the state of Espírito Santo

Zaragoza Spain

Thank you for visiting Spain Information and Spain Business Information.
Gracias por visitar la información de España y España información de negocio.

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