Spain Geography, History and 51 Interesting Facts

Facts about Spain: Spain, located in the south of the European continent, is a very beautiful country. Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union and is popular around the world for its beautiful beaches, mountain ranges, festivals such as La-Tomatina, and bull-fights.

Spain General Introduction

• Name: Kingdom of Spain
• Capital: Madrid
• Government: Monarchy with Parliamentary System
• Area: 505,990 sq km
• Population: 46,754,778 (2020)
• Major languages: Spanish
• Currency: Euro
• Major religion: Predominantly Catholicism.
• National Day: 12 October

National Symbol of Spain:

• National Emblem: National flag and coat of arms
• National Anthem: “La Marcha Real” Royal March
• National bird: Short-legged eagle
• National Animal: Bull
• National Sport: Football
• National flower: Red Carnation

Geography of Spain

Spain is located in the very south of Europe. Spain shares its borders with Portugal, France, Andorra countries. Spain’s borders with Africa’s Morocco country are joined by the Gibraltar Water Treaty.

Spain is the fourth largest country in Europe by area. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Spain is divided into 17 regional communities. These communities have their autonomous government, which independently controls all civil services-related work in their area.

The climate of Spain is a country with variations. Most of Spain has a Mediterranean climate, while the southwest region has a semi-arid climate. The islands of Spain have a tropical climate.

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Brief History of Spain

Spain is part of the Iberian Peninsula. According to historical research, modern humans reached the continent of Iberia from northern Europe about 35,000 years ago. From about the 8th century BC, there was a Roman Empire in Spain. From the 8th century (711–718) to the 15th century, Muslim rulers ruled here. By the 15th century, Christian kings had controlled most of the peninsula. In 1492 the last Muslim kingdom also fell completely. In the same year, Columbus discovered America, from which Spain emerged as the leader of global imperialism.

From 1936 to 1939, Spain faced a civil war in which the dictator Franco took control of the regime and ruled until he died in 1975.

Geographic facts about Spain

1. El Teide is the highest mountain in Spain. It is located on the Canary Islands and is 3718 meters high.
2. There are many islands within Spain, of which the island of Mallorca is the largest in Spain. It is a member of the Balearic Islands.
3. The Río Ebro River is the longest in Spain. It is 910 km long.
4. Mar Menor is the largest saltwater lake in Spain. It is the largest brackish water lake in Europe.
5. Madrid is the largest city in Spain. Madrid is also the capital and most populous city of Spain.
6. Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Seville, and Zaragoza are the five major cities in Spain. These five cities are also the most populous cities of Spain in order.
7. To the north, the Pyrenees mountain range acts as a natural boundary between Spain and France. The Pyrenees mountain range also serves as a boundary between Spain and the small country of Andorra.
8. The 1214-km-long border between Portugal and Spain is the longest barrier-free border in the entire European Union.
9. There is a total of more than 8000 km of sea beach area inside Spain.

Cultural and Lifestyle Facts about Spain

1. The Biotin restaurant in Spain is the oldest working restaurant in the world. Biotin Restaurant started in 1725 AD and is still functioning today.
2. The La-Tomatina Festival celebrated in Spain is a world-famous festival. This festival is similar to Indian Holi, La-Tomatina festival is celebrated every year in July, during this festival people throw tomatoes at each other.
3. The bullfight function is also very popular in Spain. This festival is constantly criticized due to the cruelty of animals and the possibility of killing people.
4. The age of marriage in Spain is only 16 years. Due to keeping the age of 16 for marriage, Spain also faces criticism for it at the international level.
5. Spain is one of the few countries in the world where no one has any problem with walking around completely naked.
6. The age limit for consensual sex in Spain is only 13 years. This standard age limit for sexual relations is less than any other country in the world. The age limit for consensual sex in India is 16 years. However, now in Spain also this age limit has been increased to 16 years.
7. 94% of the total population of Spain are Christians and belong to the Catholic community.
8. Spain is the country with the lowest population density in terms of population density. 1 sq km in Spain. Only 202 persons reside in it.
9. Spanish people are calm and they try to act easily according to the circumstances.
10. There are a total of 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain. Only China and Italy have more UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world than Spain.
11. Spain has a strong influence in the field of literature and art. Art figures like Picasso, Salvador, Diego Valazquez have been born here. The first novel of modern literature was also written in Spain.
12. According to the 2016 report, Spain is the third-largest tourism hub in the world after the US and France. More than 80 million tourists visit here in a year.
13. Football is the most popular sport in Spain. The Spain national football team has consistently topped the FIFA rankings from 2008 to 2013. Spain won the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2010.
14. Spain was the first country in Europe to ban smoking and alcohol in public places.
15. The Spanish language is the second most spoken language in the world. Apart from Spain, Spanish is spoken in many South American countries like Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, etc.
16. Potatoes, rice, meat, fish, etc. are mainly used in Spanish cuisine. Spanish cuisine is famous for its taste all over the world.
17. There are no lyrics in Spain’s national anthem ‘La Marcha Real’.
18. Spain did not participate in either World War I or World War II.
19. There are more bars inside Spain than in any other country in Europe. Bars and cafes in Spain are open all day and night.
20. Spaniards welcome the new year by eating 12 grapes on New Year’s night.

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Other interesting facts about Spain

• Spain is the largest olive oil producer in the world.
• In the civil war that took place between 1936 and 1939, 5 lakh people were killed in Spain.
• Spain’s political system is highly decentralized. Apart from national security and foreign policy, there is no control of the central authority over the community governments in any other matter.
• Spain is currently the 13th largest economy in the world and the fifth-largest economy in Europe.
• Spanish society is very liberal and open-minded. In Spain, marriage of the same sex was approved only in 2005.