Spain

parliamentary monarchyIndependence 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

Spain as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalMadrid
LocationSouthwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
1994

Every edition of Spain

Populationas each edition published it
39.3 million July 1994 est. · 39.27m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.25% 1994 est. · 0.24% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 38.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 77.51 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.4 children per woman 1994 est. · 1.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$12,700 1993 · $13,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-1% 1993 · 1% in 1993

Geography

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the | Mediterranean Sea, between Portugal and France

24 fields
Coastline
4,964km
Land boundaries
1,903.2km
total · Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km
Irrigated land
33,600sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Portugal and France

Map references

Africa, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

504,750 sq km

land area

499,400 sq km

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

note

includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

Climate

  • temperate;
  • clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast;
  • cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain

large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Natural resources

coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower

arable land

31%

permanent crops

10%

meadows and pastures

21%

forest and woodland

31%

other

7%

current issues

  • pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from untreated sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas;
  • air pollution;
  • deforestation;
  • desertification

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Law of the Sea

Note

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People

21 fields
Population
39,302,665
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.25% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
11.05Death
8.82Net migration
0.27
Labor force
14.621million
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

77.71 years

male

74.45 years

female

81.21 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.4 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Spaniard(s)

adjective

Spanish

Ethnic divisions

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other sects 1%

Languages

Castilian Spanish, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%

total population

95%

male

97%

female

93%

by occupation

services 53%, industry 24%, agriculture 14%, construction 9% (1988)

Government

Parliamentary monarchy

37 fields

Legislature, 255 seatsone dot, one seat

PSOE 117PP 107CiU 15PNV 5IU 2other 9

Legislature, 350 seatsseats by party

PSOE 159PP 141IU 18CiU 17PNV 5CN 4HB 2other 4

conventional long form

Kingdom of Spain

conventional short form

Spain

local short form

Espana

Type

parliamentary monarchy

Capital

Madrid

Administrative divisions

  • 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma);
  • Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencia, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco

note

there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown

Independence

1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

National holiday

National Day, 12 October

Constitution

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975)

head of government

Prime Minister Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez (since 2 December 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Narcis SERRA y Serra (since 13 March 1991)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; designated by the prime minister

Council of State

is the supreme consultative organ of the government

Legislative branch

bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly (Las Cortes Generales)

Senate (Senado)

  • elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by NA June 1997);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (255 total) PSOE 117, PP 107, CiU 15, PNV 5, IU 2, other 9

Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados)

  • elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by NA June 1997);
  • results by percent of party NA;
  • seats - (350 total) PSOE 159, PP 141, IU 18, CiU 17, PNV 5, CN 4, HB 2, other 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)

principal national parties, from right to left

  • Popular Party (PP), Jose Maria AZNAR;
  • Social Democratic Center (CDS), Rafael Calvo ORTEGA;
  • Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez, secretary general;
  • Socialist Democracy Party (DS), Ricardo Garcia DAMBORENEA;
  • Spanish Communist Party (PCE), Julio ANGUITA;
  • United Left (IU) a coalition of parties including the PCE, a branch of the PSOE, and other small parties, Julio ANGUITA

chief regional parties

  • Convergence and Unity (CiU), Jordi PUJOL Saley and Miguel ROCA in Catalonia;
  • Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), Xabier ARZALLUS and Jose Antonio ARDANZA;
  • Basque Solidarity (EA), Carlos GARAICOETXEA Urizza;
  • Basque Popular Unity (HB), Jon IDIGORAS and Inaki ESNAOLA;
  • Basque Socialist Party (PSE), coalition of the PSE, EE and PSOE, Jose Maria BANEGAS and Jon LARRINAGA;
  • Andalusian Progress Party (PA), Pedro PACHECO;
  • Canarian Coalition (CN), Dimas MARTIN;
  • Catalan Republican Left, Angel COLOM;
  • Galician Coalition, Senen BERNARDEZ;
  • Aragonese Regionalist Party (PAR), Jose Maria MUR Bernad;
  • Valencian Union (UV), Vicente GONZALEZ Lizondo, Manuel CAMPILLOS Martinez

Other political or pressure groups

  • on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group (GRAPO) use terrorism to oppose the government;
  • free labor unions (authorized in April 1977) include the Communist-dominated Workers Commissions (CCOO);
  • the Socialist General Union of Workers (UGT), and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union (USO);
  • business and landowning interests;
  • the Catholic Church;
  • Opus Dei;
  • university students

Member of

AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, AfDB, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, FAO, G-8, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), LORCS, MTRC, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

chief of mission

Ambassador Jaime De OJEDA y Eiseley

chancery

2700 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

(202) 265-0190 or 0191

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

chief of mission

Ambassador Richard N. GARDNER

embassy

Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid

mailing address

APO AE 09642

telephone

[34] (1) 577-4000

FAX

[34] (1) 577-5735

consulate(s) general

Barcelona

consulate(s)

Bilbao

Flag

  • three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;
  • the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy

After the economic boom of 1986-90, the Spanish economy fell into | recession along with the economies of other EU member states.

27 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$12,700
(1993)
Real growth rate
-1%
(1993)industrial production growth: growth rate -1.7% (1992)
Unemployment rate
22%
(yearend 1993)

Overview

After the economic boom of 1986-90, the Spanish economy fell into recession along with the economies of other EU member states. Real GDP barely grew in 1992 and declined by approximately 1% in 1993. Unemployment, now nearly one-fourth of the workforce, and the sharp downturn in business investment have contributed to sagging domestic demand.

Devaluation of the peseta since September 1992 has made Spanish exports more competitive, but an export-led recovery in 1994 will depend largely on economic recovery in Spain's major market - the other EU nations. A solid recovery will also require appropriate domestic policy actions, including controlling the budget deficit and wage increases, reforming labor market regulations, and possibly loosening monetary policy another notch.

Foreign investors, principally from other EU countries, have invested over $60 billion in Spain since 1986. Despite the recession, inflation remained at about 5% in 1993. The main source of inflationary pressure is the fiscal deficit.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $498 billion (1993)

revenues

$97.7 billion

expenditures

$128 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports

$72.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

cars and trucks, semifinished manufactured goods, foodstuffs, machinery

partners

EC 71.2%, US 4.8%, other developed countries 7.9% (1992)

Imports

$92.5 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

commodities

machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

partners

EC 60.7%, US 7.4%, other developed countries 11.5%, Middle East 5.9% (1992)

External debt

$90 billion (1993 est.)

capacity

46,600,000 kW

production

157 billion kWh

consumption per capita

4,000 kWh (1992)

Industries

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism

Agriculture

  • accounts for about 5% of GDP and 14% of labor force;
  • major products - grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus fruit, beef, pork, poultry, dairy;
  • largely self-sufficient in food;
  • fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons is among top 20 nations

Illicit drugs

key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1.9 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-79), $545 million

note

not currently a recipient

Currency

1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos

Exchange rates

pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 136.6 (May 1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991), 101.93 (1990), 118.38 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

  • 15,430 km total;
  • Spanish National Railways (RENFE) operates 12,691 km (all 1,668-mm gauge, 6,184 km electrified, and 2,295 km double track);
  • FEVE (government-owned narrow-gauge railways) operates 1,821 km (predominantly 1,000-mm gauge, 441 km electrified);
  • privately owned railways operate 918 km (predominantly 1,000-mm gauge, 512 km electrified, and 56 km double track)

total

318,022 km (1988)

paved

178,092 km (including 2,142 km of expressways)

unpaved

139,930 km

Inland waterways

1,045 km, but of minor economic importance

Pipelines

  • crude oil 265 km;
  • petroleum products 1,794 km;
  • natural gas 1,666 km

Ports

Algeciras, Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, El Ferrol del Caudillo, Puerto de Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Mahon, Malaga, Melilla, Rota, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Sagunto, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo, and 175 minor ports

Merchant marine

192 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,328,730 GRT/2,213,671 DWT, bulk 21, cargo 55, chemical tanker 14, container 11, liquefied gas 5, oil tanker 29, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 33, short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1

total

105

usable

99

with permanent-surface runways

60

with runways over 3,659 m

4

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

22

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

26

Telecommunications

  • generally adequate, modern facilities;
  • 15,350,464 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 190 AM, 406 (134 repeaters) FM, 100 (1,297 repeaters) TV;
  • 22 coaxial submarine cables;
  • 2 communications satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean);
  • MARECS, INMARSAT, and EUTELSAT systems;
  • tropospheric links

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal | Civil Guard

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 10,377,990;
  • fit for military service 8,396,405;
  • reach military age (20) annually 337,764 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $5.8 billion, 1.3% of GDP (1994 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Spain.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/spain/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →