Head of state: King Juan Carlos I Prime minister: Mariano Rajoy
Population
4,140,289
47,042,984
Life Expectancy
75.230 years
81.270 years
Capital City
Madrid
Largest city
Beirut (population: 1,916,100)
Madrid (population: 3,117,980)
Human Development Index
0.796
0.949
GDP per capita
$31,000 US
Literacy Rate
87.4%
97.9%
Corruption Perception Index
3
6.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
4.7%
33.6%
Wealthiest Citizens
Najib Mikati ($2.0bn US)
Amancio Ortega ($18.3bn US)
Unemployment Rate
21.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
republic
parliamentary monarchy
Independence date
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
Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Exports
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
External Debt
$2,570,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
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
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
18
Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Area
10,400 km sq
505,370 km sq
Coastline
225 km
4,964 km
Climate
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
