Spain
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Kingdom of Spain
Country name - conventional short form : Spain
Country name - local long form : Reino de Espana
Country name - local short form : Espana
Government type : parliamentary monarchy
Capital - name : Madrid
Capital - time difference : UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas
Population : 40,491,052 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality - noun : Spaniard(s)
Nationality - adjective : Spanish
Languages : Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Currency (code) : euro (EUR)
Currency code : EUR
Spain is located Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France. The climate is temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast. The terrain is large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.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, illegal immigration, and slowing economic growth.
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