About Spain
Spain is situated in west Europe, occupying about 80% of the Iberian Peninsula. Its area is 195,000 square miles, making it the largest European country after France. It shares land frontiers with Portugal, France and Andorra. It has 1,317 miles of coastline.
Spain is a democratic country and it is part of the European Community, with a population of almost 39 million. The currency is the Euro, and the metric system is used throughout. There are believed to be 1 million properties owned by foreigners, accommodating about 3 million people (nearly 10% of the population). More than 50 million tourists, who represent one of the principal sources of employment, visit Spain every year.
The climate of Spain can conveniently be considered in three zones: the Atlantic, the Continental and the Mediterranean zone. The latter, in the south, is the hottest part of the country, with average day temperatures as high as 34° C (94° F) and sunshine for 13 hours a day. The Mediterranean zone has also a good winter climate, with little rain (between 12 and 16 inches a year).
Spain has a collection of languages, of which the most common is Spanish, spoken by about three-quarters of the population. Spanish is the third most common language worldwide, after Mandarin Chinese and English, and accounts for about 350 million worldwide speakers.
Spain has been a largely Roman Catholic country since 1492. The 1931 Constitution disestablished the church and secularised the education. Nowadays, freedom of religious expressions is guaranteed by the Constitution. Religious festivals are celebrated with many colourful local traditions, often including folk dancing and processions.