Head of state: King Juan Carlos I Prime minister: Mariano Rajoy
Population
9,643,566
47,042,984
Life Expectancy
71.480 years
81.270 years
Capital City
Minsk
Madrid
Largest city
Minsk (population: 1,742,120)
Madrid (population: 3,117,980)
Human Development Index
0.817
0.949
GDP per capita
$15,200 US
$31,000 US
Literacy Rate
99.6%
97.9%
Corruption Perception Index
2
6.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
32.5%
33.6%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Amancio Ortega ($18.3bn US)
Unemployment Rate
1.000%
21.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
parliamentary monarchy
Independence date
25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain
Religions
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages
Belarusian, Russian, other
Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Exports
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
External Debt
$33,730,000,000 $
$2,570,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Belarusian rubles (BYB/BYR) per US dollar - 2,130 (2008 est.), 2,145 (2007), 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
19
18
Location
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Area
207,600 km sq
505,370 km sq
Coastline
0 km
4,964 km
Climate
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
