We explain everything about Spain, what its geography, culture and traditions are like. Also, what are its characteristics, economy and more.
Spain has a territorial area of 505,370 km².
Spain
Spain is a national state whose official name is the Kingdom of Spain. found in southern Western Europe and northern Africa. It borders to the west with Portugal, to the northeast with France. and to the south with Morocco. It is made up of 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities, and is a full member of the United Nations (UN) and the European Union.
Its form of organization is the parliamentary monarchy under a democratic form of government, and Its capital is the city of Madrid. Its customs, history and geography make Spain one of the most visited countries in the world and one of the main global economies.
It was one of the great territorial empires between the 15th and 18th centuries.so their culture, language and many of their customs can be found in most of the countries of the American continent and in some countries of Africa.
Spain has a territorial area of 505,990 km² and is the fourth largest country in the European continent (behind Russia, Ukraine and France). In Africa, Spain’s territory extends to the cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the Canary Islands, Chafarinas, Alhucemas, the island of Alboran and the rock of Vélez de la Gomera.
Why is it called that? There are several theories about the origin of the name “Spain”. One theory suggests that it comes from the Phoenician word I-Shaphan-immeaning “rabbit island”. It is believed that the Phoenicians referred to the Iberian Peninsula with this name due to the abundance of rabbits in the region.
Another theory suggests that the name “Spain” derives from the Latin term Hispaniawhich was used by the Romans to refer to the Iberian Peninsula. It has also been suggested that it could have its roots in the Celtic word Spain either Spanwhich means “land of rabbits.”
Characteristics of Spain
- It has an area of 505,990 square kilometers.
- Its population amounts to 47,600,000 inhabitants. Its population density is 94 inhabitants per square kilometer.
- The capital is the city of Madrid.
- Its official language is Spanish, although many other regional languages such as Basque, Catalan and Galician are also spoken.
- Its predominant religion is Catholic.
- Its predominant climate is temperate Mediterranean.
- Some of the most important painters in history, such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, were Spanish.
- Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega and Federico García Lorca are some of its main references in Spanish literature.
- It was a great empire between the 15th and 18th centuries.
- Its main economic activities are agriculture, industry and tourism.
- Its official currency is the euro, since it is part of the European Union.
Area, population and capital of Spain
Spain is a country made up of seventeen autonomous communities and the cities from Ceuta and Melilla in Africa. These communities, in turn, are divided into provinces that have municipalities.
The Spanish autonomous communities are:
- GaliciaIt is a Spanish community located in the northwest of the country and is made up of four provinces: Lugo, La Coruña, Orense and Pontevedra. Its capital is Santiago de Compostela.
- Principality of Asturias. It is a Spanish community that holds the title of principality for historical reasons and is located in the north of the country. It is made up of a single province and its main cities are Gijón, Oviedo and Avilés.
- Castile and LeonIt is a Spanish community located in the north of the peninsula and is divided into nine provinces: Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora.
- Cantabria. It is a Spanish community located in the north of the country. It is made up of a single province and 102 municipalities and its capital is the city of Santander.
- Basque Country. It is a Spanish community located in the north of the country and bordering France. It is made up of the provinces of Álava, Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa and its most populated cities are Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastián. The official languages of the Basque Country are Basque and Spanish.
- The Rioja. It is a Spanish community located in the north of the country and is a uniprovincial territory that is divided into 174 municipalities. It is the smallest Spanish community and is characterized by the seven rivers that make it up. Its capital and most populated city is Logroño.
- Navarre. It is a Spanish community located in the north of the peninsula and has its capital in the city of Pamplona. It is a uniprovincial territory that is divided into 272 municipalities.
- AragonIt is a Spanish community located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is divided into three provinces: Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel. The city of Zaragoza is the capital of this community and is the most populated city.
- CataloniaCatalonia is a Spanish community located in the northeast of the peninsula, with the city of Barcelona as its capital. Catalonia is made up of four provinces: Barcelona, Tarragona, Gerona and Lérida and is one of the communities with the greatest economic development. It borders France to the north and its official languages are Spanish and Catalan.
- Valencian CommunityIt is a Spanish community located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is made up of the provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante. Valencia is the capital and most populated city in the community.
- Balearic Islands. It is a uniprovincial community located in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is an archipelago formed by the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Cabrera, Ibiza and Formentera, which are divided into 67 municipalities. Palma de Mallorca is the capital city of the islands.
- MurciaIt is a single-province Spanish community located in the southeast of the peninsula and is made up of 46 municipalities. Its capital and most populated city is Murcia, which is located in the southeast of the region.
- Castilla la Mancha. It is a Spanish community located in the center of the peninsula. It is made up of the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Guadalajara, Cuenca and Toledo, which are made up of 919 municipalities.
- Madrid’s community. It is a Spanish community located in the center of the peninsula and with its capital in the city of Madrid (which is also the capital of the country). It is a uniprovincial community that is made up of 179 municipalities.
- EstremaduraIt is a Spanish community located in the southwest of the country and with its capital in the city of Mérida. It is made up of two provinces: Cáceres, located in the north, and Badajoz, in the south, which together comprise 388 municipalities.
- Autonomous Community of AndalusiaIt is a Spanish community located in the south of the peninsula and is made up of the provinces of Granada, Jaén, Córdoba, Sevilla, Huelva, Cádiz, Málaga, Almería and 786 municipalities. It is the most populated community in Spain and its capital is located in the city of Seville.
- Canary IslandsIt is a Spanish community located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa, which is divided into two provinces. It is an archipelago formed by the islands of La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera and Tenerife, which form the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, which form the province of La Palma.
Spain’s form of government is the parliamentary monarchy.: The king is head of state but the one who governs is the president and the legislative branch.
The Spanish legislative power is in the hands of the Cortes Generales, made up of the Senate and the Congress of Deputies. The representatives of the Cortes are elected directly by Spaniards over 18 years of age every four years. The president is then elected by these assemblies.
Its capital is the city of Madrid. It has a population of 3,331,000 inhabitantswhich represents 7.1% of the country’s total.
Climate, relief and hydrography of Spain
Much of the Spanish territory is made up of the Great Central Plateau, which is located at an average height of 650 meters above sea level. Furthermore, the territory of Spain is made up of several mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees, the Sierra Nevada and the Cantabrian mountain range, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.
Due to the diversity of reliefs and its geographical location, Spain is a country with various types of climate. The different climates in Spain are usually classified as: temperate oceanic, temperate Mediterranean, cold mountain and warm subtropical.
- Temperate Mediterranean climate. It extends along the Mediterranean coast and almost the entire peninsula. It is characterized by its dry and warm summers, and its wet and cold winters. It is the predominant climate of the country.
- Temperate oceanic climateIt extends across the north of the country, an area where rainfall is usually abundant throughout the year. This type of climate has high humidity and mild temperatures with a low thermal amplitude between winter and summer.
- Cold mountain climateIt extends across the mountain ranges of Spain, such as the Cantabrian mountain range and the Pyrenees, and is characterised by low temperatures and abundant rainfall (which usually occurs in the form of snow). This type of climate can be observed from 1000 metres above sea level.
- Warm subtropical climate. It extends across the Canary Islands, which are located in the Atlantic Ocean, close to Africa and the Tropic of Cancer. It is characterized by its high temperatures throughout the year.
The hydrography of Spain is conditioned by the climatic characteristics of the Mediterranean climate, so Its rivers have little flow, especially in the dry summer months. The most important are the Tagus, the largest in the country with 1000 kilometers long, the Ebro, the Duero and the Guadalquivir..
Since Spain is a country with a wide diversity of climates and reliefs, Its fauna and flora are among the most varied on the continent..
The fauna of Spain varies according to the geographical area. In the Iberian Peninsula you can find mammals such as the red fox, Iberian lynx, wild cat, deer, Iberian goat, Iberian hare, bat, Iberian wolf, mink and the squirrel.
In addition, amphibians such as the Iberian newt, the Iberian midwife toad and the frog; reptiles like Mediterranean tortoise, the chameleon, the lizard and various species of lizards and snakes. Among the most notable birds of the peninsula are the Iberian imperial eagle, the black vulture, the blackbird, the sparrow and the magpie.
In Spain’s saltwater and freshwater courses there are fish such as lampreys, sturgeons, shads, eels, redfish, barbels, calandinos, colmillejas, silversides and sea bass. In addition, its coasts are home to a large number of marine animals such as dolphins, whales, jellyfish and sperm whales.
In the Canary Islands many of the endemic species became extinct and today most of the species that live there were introduced. Some animals…