Spain

Introduction

Area: 505,992 km²

Population: 47,450,795

Capital: Madrid

National anthem: Marcha Real (Spanish)

Government type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

Languages: Spanish

Religion: Catholicism

Ethnic Groups: Spaniards

Climate: Mediterranean Climate

Currency: Euro

Expat Population: 7,231,195

Taboos:

• No talking about religion
• Do not be expected to eat dinner before 9pm
• Tuesday 13^th is seen as an unlucky date, nothing should be planned on that date

Spain, also known as the Kingdom of Spain, is located in Southwestern Europe situated on the Iberian Peninsula. The history of this European country dates back 1492, where Columbus ‘discovered’ the Americas, leading to the colonisation of multiple countries. in 1986, Spain joined the European Union, becoming a leader in freedom and human rights. Today, Spain is the fourth-largest country in Europe.

Spain is filled with stone castles, mountains, and unique cities, which have been favoured by many travellers. While it’s city is modern, it’s countryside is quaint and filled with castles and ancient ruins.

Spaniards, or rather Spanish People, are native to Spain, with over 41 million Spaniards within the country. Over the years, the population of Spain has grown increasingly diverse, due to an increase in immigration. Now, immigration makes up almost 10% of Spain’s population, with many immigrants coming from Europe, Latin America, Africa, China and the Philippines. As Spain is filled with various immigrants, this results in Spain being filled with different culture, from the Romans to Arabs and to the Jews, among many others.

In 2019, Spain’s Human Development Index value was 0.904, which had increased from 0.761 in 1990. This puts Spain at 25 out of 189 countries, signifying that Spain has high human developments over the years, not just in economic growth.

The cost of living in Spain is known to be one of the lowest in Western Europe, with residents able to live comfortably on $20,000-$22,000 a year, not including rent. This is as Spain has a huge area, making land prices low. Further, Spain is able to produce huge amounts of it’s own food, making cost of food and product cheaper than other countries.