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 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Exports
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
External Debt
$5,776,000,000 $
$2,250,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (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
0.400%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
18
Location
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Area
33,851 km sq
505,370 km sq
Coastline
0 km
4,964 km
Climate
moderate winters, warm summers
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
