A Coruna / Alicante / Almeria / Barcelona / Benalmadena Costa /
Benidorm / Bilbao / Burgos / Cala Millor / Calella / Calvia /
Can Picafort / Capdepera / Ciutadella De Menorca / Cordoba /
Costa Adeje / Costa Blanca / Costa De Teguise / Denia /
El Puetro De Santa Maria / Estepona / Fuengirola / Gerona /
Granada / Gran Canaria / Ibiza / Jerez / Lanzarote / Leon /
Lloret De Mar / Logrono / Madrid Hotels-5 star Hotels /
Madrid Hotels-4 star Hotels / Madrid Hotels-3 star Hotels /
Magalluf / Malaga / Mallorca / Manacor / Marbella / Maspalomas /
Murcia / Neraj / Oviedo / Palma De Mallorca / Palmanova /
Pamplona / Peguera / Platja D' Aro / Platja De Muro / Platja De Palma /
Playa Blanca / Playa De las Americas / Playa Del Ingles /
Port D' Alcudia / Puerto De La Cruz / Puerto Del Carmen / Ronda /
Roquest De Mar / Roses / Salamanca / Salou / San Sebastian /
Sant Antoni De Portmany / Santa Eulalia Del Rio / Santander/
Santiago de Compostela / Segovia / Seville / Sitges / Tenerife /
Toledo / Torremolinos / Tossa del Mar / Valencia / Valladolid /
Vigo / Zaragoza/
Showing posts with label Overview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Overview. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Visa
Most EU citizens, as well as those from Norway and Iceland, can visit Spain for up to ninety days with just their national identity card or passport. UK citizens do not need work permits at all in Spain as they are members of the EU. However, EU nationals wishing to stay longer than ninety days need to apply for a permiso de residencia (EU residence permit) in Spain.
A temporary residency permit is valid for up to a year, and you'll need an extension after that (valid for up to five years). You’ll be able to make your applications need at the “Oficina de Extranjeros” in the main cities or at the police station nearest to where you'll be taking up residency.
Keep in mind, however, that visa requirements do change and it is always advisable to check the current situation before leaving home. Visa is required by all except the following countries for stays of up to 90 days:
A temporary residency permit is valid for up to a year, and you'll need an extension after that (valid for up to five years). You’ll be able to make your applications need at the “Oficina de Extranjeros” in the main cities or at the police station nearest to where you'll be taking up residency.
Keep in mind, however, that visa requirements do change and it is always advisable to check the current situation before leaving home. Visa is required by all except the following countries for stays of up to 90 days:
- Nationals EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and US.
- Nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep. of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.
- Transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport (except nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka who always require a transit visa).
To stay longer , EU nationals (and citizens of Norway and Iceland) can apply for a permiso de residencia (EU residence permit) once in Spain.
Below you can see some embassies and consulates Spain
Below you can see some embassies and consulates Spain
| Australia Embassy | Plz. Del Descubridor Diego de Ordás, 3, Madrid tel 914/419 300 or 914/425 362. |
| Canada Embassy: | C/Núñez de Balboa 35, 28001, Madrid tel 914/314 300, fax 914/312 367. |
| Ireland Honorary Consul: | C/Castillo 8, 4° A, Santa Cruz de Tenerife tel 922/245 671, fax 922/249 957. Embassy: P° de la Castellana 36 Madrid tel 915/763 500, fax 914/351 677. |
| New Zealand Embassy: | Plaza de la Lealtad, 2, 3°, Madrid tel 915/230 226 or 915/230 171. |
| South-Africa Consulate: | C/Franchy Rosa 5, 6° 35007, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria tel 928/226 004, fax 928/226 015. |
| Britain Consulate: | Plaza de Weyler, Santa Cruz de Tenerife tel 922/286 863, fax 922/289 903). Embassy: C/de Fernando el Santo 16, Madrid tel 913/190 200. |
| USA Honorary Consul: | Los Martínez de Escober, 3, Oficina 7, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria tel 928/271 259. Embassy: C/Serrano, 75, Madrid tel 915/872 200, fax 915/872 303. |
Spain History
The oldest historical findings made in Spain date of about 30000 to 50000 b.C. Modern humans in the form of Cro-Magnons made his appearance in the Iberian Peninsula from north of the Pyrenees some 35,000 years ago. Among the most important remains of this period are the caves Cova Negra (Játiva) and Piñar (Granada). The more conspicuous sign of prehistoric human settlements are the famous paintings in the northern Spanish Altamira (cave), which were done ca. 15,000 BCE.
The first to appear were the Iberians, a Libyan people, who probably arrived to the peninsula from the north of Africa. In fact, sometime around 4000 BC, much of Spain was settled by the Iberians. Tartessos, the earliest urban culture documented and probably an Iberian tribe, founded an important kingdom of high culture ca. 1100 BCE. in the valley of Guadalquivir river, in the south of Spain.
The Celts (a typically Aryan people) arrived around 1200 b.C., settling in the northern third of the peninsula. Later, from the merging of the two races there arose a new one: The Celtiberians. This new mixed race divided into several tribes (Cantabrians, Asturians, Lusitanians) and gave their name to their respective homelands.
By 1100 b.C. Phoenicians arrived to the peninsula, attracted by mining wealth, and founded colonies and a number of trading posts along the coast, the most important being that of Gadir (today's Cadiz). The Greeks settled along the Mediterranean coast, and the Carthaginians would follow suit, occupying the Balearic Islands at the same time.
Rome left in Spain four powerful social elements: the Latin language, Roman law, the municipality and the Christian religion. Hispania supplied Rome with food, olive oil, wine and metal. The province Hispanic became part and parcel of Roman empire and acquired great importance, even two Roman emperors, Traian and Hadrian, were born there. Marcus Aurelius and Theodosius I, the philosopher Seneca and the poets Martial, Quintilian and Lucan also were born in Spain.
In A.D. 409, when the Roman empire started to fall, Gothic tribes, like the Suevi, Vandals and Alans, invaded the peninsula. They were, however, defeated by the Visigoths, a Germanic people who had migrated from central Europe. In A.D. 412, the barbarian Visigothic leader Ataulf crossed the Pyrenees and ruled Spain, first in the name of the Roman emperor and then independently. By the end of the 6th century, the Visigoths have occupied virtually the whole of the Peninsula.
Gothic dominance lasted until the beginning of the 8th century. In 711, the Muslims of northern Africa launched an invasion across the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated Roderic, the last Visigoth king, occupying most of the peninsula within a few years. They conquered the Iberian Peninsula very quickly except for a small bulwark in the North which would become the initial springboard for the Reconquest, which was not completed until eight centuries later. Only three small Christian counties in the mountains of northern Spain managed to cling to their independence: Asturias, Navarra and Aragon, which were eventually to become kingdoms.
The period of Muslim sway is divided into three periods: the Emirate (711 to 756), the Caliphate (756-1031) and the Reinos de Taifas (small independent kingdoms) (1031 to 1492). During almost 750 years, independent Muslim states were established, and the entire area of Muslim control became known as Al-Andalus.
This period is remembered in part for a flowering of philosophy and religious thought, and in part for continuing tensions between Christians and Muslims. Though the small Christian kingdoms in the north were a nucleus of resistance, the Arabian culture was prospering in the rest of the country. In fact, Cordoba, Muslim Spain's capital, was the richest and the indisputable cultural center of this area of the world. The southern parts of Spain, called al-Andalus, were prospering in the Moorish epoch, thanks to new sciences and agricultural technics. Magnificent mosques, palaces, and other monuments were constructed. Large Moorish populations grew, most notably in the south, especially in the Guadalquivir River valley, and on the Mediterranean coastal plain of Valencia. Towards the end of their reign they became concentrated in the mountains around Granada.
Decadence of the Muslims started in 11th century, when the various Arabian noble families were more and more at variance among themselves, and al-Andalus broke into numerous small caliphates. At the same time, the north and centre of Spain was back under Christian control. During this period of the re-taking of Spain, the union of the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Aragon (the most important norther Christian kingdoms), through the marriage in 1469 of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Spain.
During almost 30 years the Muslims rapidly lost territory, until they were definitely expelled when they lost Granada, the last Moorish kingdom, in 1492. By 1512 the unification of present-day Spain was complete.
During the reign of Isabel and Ferdinand, the Canary Islands became part of Spanish territory (1495), the hegemony of Spain in the Mediterranean, to the detriment of France, was affirmed with the conquest of the Kingdom of Naples, and Navarre was incorporated into the Kingdom. Also, their effort to "re-christianize" Spain resulted in the Spanish Inquisition, when thousands of Jews and Moors who didn't want to convert to Christianism were expelled or killed. Torquemada, the most notorious of the grand inquisitors, epitomized the Inquisition's harshness and cruelty.
The year 1492 was also epochal as the year that Ferdinand and Isabella sent Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a new trade route to Asia. In the era of exploration, discovery, and colonization, Spain amassed tremendous wealth and a vast colonial empire through the conquest of Mexico by Cortés and Peru by Pizarro.
During these next three hundred years, Spain was prospering economically thanks to the trade with its American colonies. Spain's colonial empire covered almost all of South America, large portions of North America, the Philippines in Asia, and portions of coastal Africa—it was one of the largest empires in the history of the world. However, at the same time, Spain was involved in wars with France, the Netherlands and England, culminating in the disastrous defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588.
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) resulted in Spain's loss of Belgium, Luxembourg, Milan, Sardinia, and Naples. Its colonial empire in the Americas and the Philippines vanished in wars and revolutions during the 18th and 19th centuries. That epoch also marked the end of the dynasty of the Habsburgs and the coming of the Bourbons.
With the accession of the Bourbon dynasty to the Spanish throne at the beginning of the 18th century, Spain came within the French sphere of influence for the following 100 years, up to the defeat of Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War. In 1808 Joseph Bonaparte was installed on the Spanish throne, following the Napoleonic invasion to the peninsula. After Napoleon's definite defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne and reigned with rigid absolutism.
When Ferdinand VII changed the law of succession to the throne and his daughter Isabel was established as queen, his brother Charles rebelled against it and War of Seven Years broke out. Economical recession and political instability were the consequences, Spain lost its colonies with the exceptions of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Philippines. The revolution of 1868 forced Isabel II. to renounce to the throne, and the First Republic was proclaimed. Anyhow, it lasted for just about one year. After a coup d'état Isabel's son, Alphonse XII., restored the kingdom.
The 20th century began with little peace; Spain played a minor part in the scramble for Africa, with the colonization of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea. However the area assigned to Spain was mostly abrupt terrain populated by warlike tribesmen. A poorly planned advance into the interior due to political pressure led to military disaster in Morocco in 1921.
The economical crisis of the early 1920s led the country to the brink of civil war. In World War I, under Franco, Spain was neutral though sympathetic to the Axis. In 1923, General Primo de Ribera established a military dictature until 1930. In 1930, King Alfonso XIII revoked the dictatorship, but elections in 1931 saw a triumph for the political left, and Alphonse XIII. left the country. The elections held in 1936 returned a strong Popular Front majority, with Manuel Azaña as president.
Three years later the Nationalist forces, led by General Francisco Franco, emerged victorious with the support of Germany and Italy. They received extensive support from Nazi-Germany and fascist Italy and succeeded against the Republican block which was officially supported only by Russia, by many intellectuals (as Ernest Hemingway) and by some International Brigades.
In a referendum in 1947, the Spanish people approved a Franco-drafted succession law declaring Spain a monarchy again. Franco, however, continued as chief of state. During the 1950s and 60s every effort was taken to improve international relations, and the country's economy recovered. In 1969 Franco proclaimed Juan Carlos de Borbon, the grandson of Alphonse XIII., his successor with the title of king. Franco died on Nov. 20, 1975, and Juan Carlos was proclaimed king on Nov. 22.
With the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy, were given some political autonomy, which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions. In 1982, the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) came to power and played a crucial role leading the country down the road to Community membership. The subsequent general elections of 1986, 1989 and 1993 were also won by the Spanish Socialist Party and consolidated the the position of the Popular Party, led by Jose Maria Aznar, as the second largest political force in the country.
In the Basque Country, moderate Basque nationalism coexists with radical nationalism supportive of the terrorist group ETA. Between 1980 and 1982, the regions of Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Andalusia approved statutes for their own self-government and elected their respective parliaments.
In 1985, Spain became member of the NATO and entered the European Community in 1986. In 1992 it appeared impressively at the world stage: Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, Seville the world exposition EXPO'92, and Madrid was declared European Cultural Capital. General elections in March 1996 produced a victory for the conservative Popular Party, and its leader, José María Aznar, became prime minister. He and his party easily won reelection in 2000. On January 1, 1999 Spain adopted the Euro as its national currency.
The first to appear were the Iberians, a Libyan people, who probably arrived to the peninsula from the north of Africa. In fact, sometime around 4000 BC, much of Spain was settled by the Iberians. Tartessos, the earliest urban culture documented and probably an Iberian tribe, founded an important kingdom of high culture ca. 1100 BCE. in the valley of Guadalquivir river, in the south of Spain.
The Celts (a typically Aryan people) arrived around 1200 b.C., settling in the northern third of the peninsula. Later, from the merging of the two races there arose a new one: The Celtiberians. This new mixed race divided into several tribes (Cantabrians, Asturians, Lusitanians) and gave their name to their respective homelands.
By 1100 b.C. Phoenicians arrived to the peninsula, attracted by mining wealth, and founded colonies and a number of trading posts along the coast, the most important being that of Gadir (today's Cadiz). The Greeks settled along the Mediterranean coast, and the Carthaginians would follow suit, occupying the Balearic Islands at the same time.
With the fall of Phoenicia, Carthaginians, under the orders of Hamilcar Barca, invaded and conquered the Iberian peninsula and the Balearics. Their most important colonies were the island Ibiza and Carthago Nova, the "new Carthago". However, the Iberian peninsula was then occupied by Rome following the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthago. After the Roman victory, Publius Cornelius Scipio, Africanus, began the conquest of Spain, which was to be under Roman rule for six centuries.
Rome left in Spain four powerful social elements: the Latin language, Roman law, the municipality and the Christian religion. Hispania supplied Rome with food, olive oil, wine and metal. The province Hispanic became part and parcel of Roman empire and acquired great importance, even two Roman emperors, Traian and Hadrian, were born there. Marcus Aurelius and Theodosius I, the philosopher Seneca and the poets Martial, Quintilian and Lucan also were born in Spain.
In A.D. 409, when the Roman empire started to fall, Gothic tribes, like the Suevi, Vandals and Alans, invaded the peninsula. They were, however, defeated by the Visigoths, a Germanic people who had migrated from central Europe. In A.D. 412, the barbarian Visigothic leader Ataulf crossed the Pyrenees and ruled Spain, first in the name of the Roman emperor and then independently. By the end of the 6th century, the Visigoths have occupied virtually the whole of the Peninsula.
Gothic dominance lasted until the beginning of the 8th century. In 711, the Muslims of northern Africa launched an invasion across the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated Roderic, the last Visigoth king, occupying most of the peninsula within a few years. They conquered the Iberian Peninsula very quickly except for a small bulwark in the North which would become the initial springboard for the Reconquest, which was not completed until eight centuries later. Only three small Christian counties in the mountains of northern Spain managed to cling to their independence: Asturias, Navarra and Aragon, which were eventually to become kingdoms.
The period of Muslim sway is divided into three periods: the Emirate (711 to 756), the Caliphate (756-1031) and the Reinos de Taifas (small independent kingdoms) (1031 to 1492). During almost 750 years, independent Muslim states were established, and the entire area of Muslim control became known as Al-Andalus.
This period is remembered in part for a flowering of philosophy and religious thought, and in part for continuing tensions between Christians and Muslims. Though the small Christian kingdoms in the north were a nucleus of resistance, the Arabian culture was prospering in the rest of the country. In fact, Cordoba, Muslim Spain's capital, was the richest and the indisputable cultural center of this area of the world. The southern parts of Spain, called al-Andalus, were prospering in the Moorish epoch, thanks to new sciences and agricultural technics. Magnificent mosques, palaces, and other monuments were constructed. Large Moorish populations grew, most notably in the south, especially in the Guadalquivir River valley, and on the Mediterranean coastal plain of Valencia. Towards the end of their reign they became concentrated in the mountains around Granada.
Decadence of the Muslims started in 11th century, when the various Arabian noble families were more and more at variance among themselves, and al-Andalus broke into numerous small caliphates. At the same time, the north and centre of Spain was back under Christian control. During this period of the re-taking of Spain, the union of the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Aragon (the most important norther Christian kingdoms), through the marriage in 1469 of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Spain.
During almost 30 years the Muslims rapidly lost territory, until they were definitely expelled when they lost Granada, the last Moorish kingdom, in 1492. By 1512 the unification of present-day Spain was complete.
During the reign of Isabel and Ferdinand, the Canary Islands became part of Spanish territory (1495), the hegemony of Spain in the Mediterranean, to the detriment of France, was affirmed with the conquest of the Kingdom of Naples, and Navarre was incorporated into the Kingdom. Also, their effort to "re-christianize" Spain resulted in the Spanish Inquisition, when thousands of Jews and Moors who didn't want to convert to Christianism were expelled or killed. Torquemada, the most notorious of the grand inquisitors, epitomized the Inquisition's harshness and cruelty.
The year 1492 was also epochal as the year that Ferdinand and Isabella sent Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a new trade route to Asia. In the era of exploration, discovery, and colonization, Spain amassed tremendous wealth and a vast colonial empire through the conquest of Mexico by Cortés and Peru by Pizarro.
During these next three hundred years, Spain was prospering economically thanks to the trade with its American colonies. Spain's colonial empire covered almost all of South America, large portions of North America, the Philippines in Asia, and portions of coastal Africa—it was one of the largest empires in the history of the world. However, at the same time, Spain was involved in wars with France, the Netherlands and England, culminating in the disastrous defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588.
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) resulted in Spain's loss of Belgium, Luxembourg, Milan, Sardinia, and Naples. Its colonial empire in the Americas and the Philippines vanished in wars and revolutions during the 18th and 19th centuries. That epoch also marked the end of the dynasty of the Habsburgs and the coming of the Bourbons.
With the accession of the Bourbon dynasty to the Spanish throne at the beginning of the 18th century, Spain came within the French sphere of influence for the following 100 years, up to the defeat of Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War. In 1808 Joseph Bonaparte was installed on the Spanish throne, following the Napoleonic invasion to the peninsula. After Napoleon's definite defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne and reigned with rigid absolutism.
When Ferdinand VII changed the law of succession to the throne and his daughter Isabel was established as queen, his brother Charles rebelled against it and War of Seven Years broke out. Economical recession and political instability were the consequences, Spain lost its colonies with the exceptions of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Philippines. The revolution of 1868 forced Isabel II. to renounce to the throne, and the First Republic was proclaimed. Anyhow, it lasted for just about one year. After a coup d'état Isabel's son, Alphonse XII., restored the kingdom.
The 20th century began with little peace; Spain played a minor part in the scramble for Africa, with the colonization of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea. However the area assigned to Spain was mostly abrupt terrain populated by warlike tribesmen. A poorly planned advance into the interior due to political pressure led to military disaster in Morocco in 1921.
The economical crisis of the early 1920s led the country to the brink of civil war. In World War I, under Franco, Spain was neutral though sympathetic to the Axis. In 1923, General Primo de Ribera established a military dictature until 1930. In 1930, King Alfonso XIII revoked the dictatorship, but elections in 1931 saw a triumph for the political left, and Alphonse XIII. left the country. The elections held in 1936 returned a strong Popular Front majority, with Manuel Azaña as president.
Three years later the Nationalist forces, led by General Francisco Franco, emerged victorious with the support of Germany and Italy. They received extensive support from Nazi-Germany and fascist Italy and succeeded against the Republican block which was officially supported only by Russia, by many intellectuals (as Ernest Hemingway) and by some International Brigades.
In a referendum in 1947, the Spanish people approved a Franco-drafted succession law declaring Spain a monarchy again. Franco, however, continued as chief of state. During the 1950s and 60s every effort was taken to improve international relations, and the country's economy recovered. In 1969 Franco proclaimed Juan Carlos de Borbon, the grandson of Alphonse XIII., his successor with the title of king. Franco died on Nov. 20, 1975, and Juan Carlos was proclaimed king on Nov. 22.
With the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy, were given some political autonomy, which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions. In 1982, the Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE) came to power and played a crucial role leading the country down the road to Community membership. The subsequent general elections of 1986, 1989 and 1993 were also won by the Spanish Socialist Party and consolidated the the position of the Popular Party, led by Jose Maria Aznar, as the second largest political force in the country.
In the Basque Country, moderate Basque nationalism coexists with radical nationalism supportive of the terrorist group ETA. Between 1980 and 1982, the regions of Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Andalusia approved statutes for their own self-government and elected their respective parliaments.
In 1985, Spain became member of the NATO and entered the European Community in 1986. In 1992 it appeared impressively at the world stage: Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, Seville the world exposition EXPO'92, and Madrid was declared European Cultural Capital. General elections in March 1996 produced a victory for the conservative Popular Party, and its leader, José María Aznar, became prime minister. He and his party easily won reelection in 2000. On January 1, 1999 Spain adopted the Euro as its national currency.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Spain Time
Spain Time is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Spain Time, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). After the Summer months the time in Spain Time is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1).
Nowhere in Europe keeps such late hours. Spaniards may not take a traditional midday siesta so much as they used to, but their life cycles remain committedly nocturnal. Like everything else, practises differ somewhat by region. Madrid is famed for staying up the latest, with Andalucía a close second. In the north, particularly in Catalonia, they keep more Northern European hours. And, of course, summer nights are the real late, late shows.
Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Spain Time, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). After the Summer months the time in Spain Time is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1).
Nowhere in Europe keeps such late hours. Spaniards may not take a traditional midday siesta so much as they used to, but their life cycles remain committedly nocturnal. Like everything else, practises differ somewhat by region. Madrid is famed for staying up the latest, with Andalucía a close second. In the north, particularly in Catalonia, they keep more Northern European hours. And, of course, summer nights are the real late, late shows.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Population of Spain
The Spanish people are a mixture of the indigenous peoples of the Iberian Peninsula with the successive peoples who conquered the peninsula and occupied it for extended periods.
Ethnic Groups
Several ethnic groups in Spain have kept a separate identity, culturally and linguistically. These include the Catalans (16 percent of the population), who live principally in the northeast and on the eastern islands; the Galicians (7 percent), who live in northwestern Spain; the Basques, or Euskal-dun (2 percent), who live chiefly around the Bay of Biscay; and the nomadic Spanish Roma (Gypsies), also called Gitanos.
Population Characteristics
The population of Spain is approximately 40 million with an overall density of 79 persons per sq km (206 per sq mi). Spain is experiencing significant rural-urban migration with 78 percent of the population now living in towns and cities.
Political Divisions
Spain comprises 50 provinces in 17 autonomous regions: Andalusia, Aragón, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Basque Country (País Vasco), Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile-La Mancha, Castile-León, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, and Valencia.
Religion
Over 97% of the population is Roman Catholic the remainder consisting of small communities of Protestants, Jews, and Muslims.
Language
Most of the people of Spain speak Castilian Spanish though with a great variety of accents. Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencia region, Gallego is spoken in Galicia and Basque is spoken in the Basque country.
Geography of Spain
Geographically, Spain is bounded to the north by the Bay of Biscay, France, and Andorra; to the east by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. In the south west the 13km wide Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Africa.
Map of Spain
Spain occupies about 85 percent of the Iberian Peninsula and is surrounded by water for about 88 percent of its periphery. Its Mediterranean coast is 1,660 km (1,030 mi) long, and its Atlantic coast is 710 km (440 mi) long.
The British dependency of Gibraltar is situated at the southern extremity of Spain. The Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa are governed as provinces of Spain. Also, Spain administers Ceuta and Melilla on the Moroccan mainland.
Mountains of Spain
The Pyrenees separate Spain from France and are the country's principal mountain range. They extend 435 km (270 mi) from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea. The highest peak is Pico de Aneto (3,404 m/11,168 ft)
Away from the Pyrenees, Mulhacén in the Sierra Nevada above Granada is the highest peak at 3,477 m (11,407 ft). The highest point in Spain is Pico de Teide (3,715 m/12,188 ft) on the volcanic island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Spain Rivers
The main rivers of Spain flow west and south to the Atlantic Ocean. The Duero (Douro), Miño, Tajo (Tagus), and Guadiana rivers rise in Spain and flow through Portugal to the Atlantic. The Guadalquivir River is the deepest and most navigable. The Ebro River which flows through Zaragoza flows into the Mediterranean Sea and is navigable for part of its course. The rivers are a good source of electric power.
Spain Climate
Spain experiences extremes of temperature and generally low rainfall (less than 610 mm) except for in the north. Along the northern Atlantic coast the climate is usually quite damp and cool. The central plateau has very hot, dry summers and drought is common. In Madrid the local saying is that the climate is "9 months of winter and 3 months of hell" which describes the freezing winters and scorching summers. In Seville, Cordoba and Granada temperatures reached 50ºC (over 120ºF) in the summer of 2003, forest fires caused major damage. On the southern Mediterranean coast a subtropical climate prevails with Málaga enjoying an average winter temperature of 14°C (57°F).
Spain Natural Resources
Although Spanish soils need careful irrigation and cultivation, they are they are the country's most valuable natural resource with nearly a third of the land available for cultivation. Semiarid chestnut-brown soils cover the central plateau, and red Mediterranean soils cover the southern area and the northeastern coastal region. A gray desert soil, often saline, is found in the southeast. The forest of northern Spain has gray-brown forest soils, and the forest in the Cantabrian Mountains has leached podzolic soils.
The country also has many mineral resources, including hard and brown coal, small petroleum and natural gas deposits, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, and potash.
Spain Flora
Only a small part of Spain is forested, and forests are located mainly on mountain slopes, particularly in the northwest. A common Spanish tree is the evergreen oak. Cork oak, from which the bark may be stripped every ten years, is abundant, growing chiefly as second growth on timbered land. Poplar trees are grown throughout the country and the cultivation of olive trees is a major agricultural activity. Other Spanish trees include the elm, beech, and chestnut. Shrubs and herbs are the common natural vegetation on the central plateau. Grapevines flourish in the arid soil. Esparto grass, used for making paper and various fiber products, grows abundantly in both the wild and cultivated state. On the Mediterranean coast sugarcane, oranges, lemons, figs, almonds, and chestnuts are grown.
Spain Fauna
The Spanish fauna includes the wolf, lynx, wildcat, fox, wild boar, wild goat, deer, and hare. Among the more famous domesticated animals are the bulls bred near Seville and Salamanca for bullfighting, the Spanish national sport. Birdlife is abundant, with varieties of birds of prey. Insect life abounds. Mountain streams and lakes teem with fish such as barbel, tench, and trout.
Spain and the Environment
Spain faces numerous environmental threats. Deforestation and the erosion and river pollution that accompany it are major concerns. Other problems include the encroachment of agriculture onto land designated as protected, desertification in badly managed agricultural zones, and soil salinization in irrigated regions. Increased use of nitrogen fertilizers has added to the problem of nitrates in rivers.
In April 1998, a serious toxic waste spill occurred as the result of a burst reservoir at an iron ore mine in southern Spain. Attempts were made to divert the spillage from an important wetland area toward the Guadalquivir River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It was estimated that the toxic mud from the spill threatened millions of birds and other wildlife. The black toxic mud covered farms, fields, and orchards, causing farmers to suffer enormous economic losses.
Economy of Spain
Agriculture
Agriculture remains a major part of the Spanish economy and employs, along with forestry and fishing, 7 percent of the labour force.
The two main agricultural products are grapes, used to make wine, and olives, used to make olive oil. Other main products include oranges, almonds, cereal grains (especially barley, wheat, and rice), vegetables (especially tomatoes and onions) and root crops (mainly potatoes and sugar beets).
The raising of livestock, especially sheep and goats, is an important industry. In 2002 livestock on farms included 24.3 million sheep, 23.9 million pigs, 6.4 million cattle, and 248,000 horses.
Forestry and Fishing
The cork-oak tree is the principal forest resource of Spain, and the annual production of cork, more than 52,000 metric tons in the late 1980s, placed Spain among the world leaders. The yield of Spain’s forests is insufficient for the country’s wood-pulp and timber needs.
The fishing industry is important to the Spanish economy. The catch consists mostly of sardines, mussels, tuna, hake, and squid.
Mining
The mineral wealth of Spain is considerable consisting mainly of coal, iron ore, zinc, copper and lead. Gold and silver are also mined and petroleum is extracted. The main coal mines are in the northwest, near Oviedo; iron-ore deposits are in the same area, around Santander and Bilbao whilst copper and lead are mined in Andalusia.
Manufacturing
The main manufactured goods in Spain are textiles, iron and steel, motor vehicles, chemicals, clothing, footwear, ships and boats, refined petroleum, and cement. Spain is one of the world’s leading wine producers. About 31 percent of the labour force is employed in manufacturing, mining, and construction.
Energy
Over 50 % of Spain's electricity comes from conventional thermal plants fuelled by coal or refined petroleum. Hydroelectric power accounts for around 18 percent, and nuclear installations about 27 percent.
Currency and Banking
Spain is a full member of the European Single Currency. On January 1, 2002, the Euro came into circulation and within a few months the former currency, the peseta, ceased to be legal tender.
Spain is served by a large number of national and international commercial banks. The main stock exchanges are in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, and Valencia.
Foreign Trade
Spain's main imports include machinery, mineral fuels, transportation equipment, food products, metals and metal products, and textiles. Her exports include motor vehicles, machinery, basic metals, vegetable products, chemicals, mineral products, and textiles. France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the United States are the chief export markets whilst France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the United States, and Japan provide most of the imports. A balance of trade deficit is the norm.
Tourism
Spain is the world's third most visited country after the USA and France. Revenue from the 78 million tourists who visited Spain in 2002 helped make up for Spain’s considerable trade deficit.
Provinces of Spain
Facts on Spain
Area: 504,780 sq km
Population: 40,341,462 (approx)
Capital: Madrid.
Currency: The Euro. Previously the Spanish peseta (€1=166.66 pesetas)
Language: Castilian Spanish (Castellano) is the national language though visitors who have learned their Spanish abroad find regional accents difficult to cope with, especially in rural Andalucia. Other important language groups include Gallego in Galicia, Basque in the Basque Country and different forms of Catalan in Catalunya, Valencia and the Balearic Islands.
Visa: No visas are necessary for EU nationals staying a maximum of three months.
Geography: Spain is Europe's fourth largest country after Russia, Ukraine and France. It consists of the Spanish mainland, which occupies most of the Iberian peninsula apart from Portugal, the Balearic islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, Gomera, Fuerteventura and Hierro in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.
Religion: Over 98% of people are Roman Catholic, the rest being made up of a few Protestants, Muslims and Jews. There are also around 500,000 gypsies living mainly in the larger cities.
Time: Central European Time = GMT + 1 hour.
Emergency numbers (dial toll-free from any phone):
Emergency services Tel: 112
Ambulance/Ambulancia Tel: 061
Fire service/Bombers/Bomberos Tel: 080
National Police/Policia Nacional Tel: 091 (for serious trouble)
Municipal Police/Policia Municipal Tel: 092 (for larger towns and cities)
Civil Guard/Guardia Civil Tel: 062 (for smaller towns and villages)
Telephone: To make an international call from Spain, dial 00 and then add the country code (UK 44; USA 1; Australia 61; Canada 1; Irish Republic 353; New Zealand 64) and the rest of the telephone number minus the first zero if there is one. To call Spain from abroad, the country code is 00 34.
Business hours: The normal opening hours for shops are Monday to Saturday from around 9am or 10am until about 1.30pm. After siesta they reopen from around 4pm until 8pm or 9pm. Large stores usually stay open all day. Most places are closed on Sundays. Many businesses including restaurants and bars (especially in Madrid) close for holidays in August.
Many museums are closed on Monday and on public holidays and are open on Sunday mornings only. Hours change with the seasons. Check a recent guidebook to make sure you don't miss anything.
Banks generally open from 9am to 2pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9am to midday or 1pm on Saturday. Hours may vary in summer.
Taxis are easily identified in the cities by the green light on the roof which is lit when they are available. Prices are reasonable but make sure the meter is reset when you start your journey. Supplements exist for airport pick-ups, items of luggage, journeys outside of city boundaries and after 10pm and at weekends.
Internet and e-mail: Just about every town has an internet café with very reasonable prices.
Tipping: North Americans tend to overtip in Spain. Typically Spanish people leave a few coins after a meal but wouldn't have any "15%" rule in their mind. If you're happy with the service, leave a tip, it will be appreciated.
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