Spain , or the Kingdom of Spain,[g] is a transcontinental country predominantly located in southwestern Europe with parts of territory in the Atlantic Ocean and across the Mediterranean Sea.
The largest part of Spain is situated on the Iberian Peninsula; its territory also includes the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in Africa.
The country’s mainland is bordered to the south by Gibraltar; to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea; to the north by France, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. With an area of 505,990 km2 (195,360 sq mi), Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union (EU) and, with a population exceeding 47.4 million, the fourth-most populous EU member state.
Spain’s capital and largest city is Madrid; other major urban areas include Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Málaga, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Bilbao.
List of facts
modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 42,000 years ago
It is believed that the name España, came from the word Ispania, which means rabbit.
Spain’s official name is the ‘Kingdom of Spain’.
Mainland Spain is situated in Southwestern Europe.
Spain was only officially founded on December 6, 1978.
Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union
Spain’s capital and largest city is Madrid
Spain has a population in excess of 47.4 million
Spain is now composed of 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities
Its five bordering countries are Morocco, Andorra, France, Portugal, and Gibraltar
The national anthem of Spain the ‘Marcha Real’ has no words.
The ‘Marcha Real’ is also one of the oldest national anthems in the world, dating back to 1761.
Spanish is the world’s second-most spoken native language
Spain is a constitutional monarchy and the reigning monarch is King Felipe VI.
Spain has the world’s fourth-largest number of World Heritage Sites with 47
Spain is the world’s second-most visited country
Spain did not participate in either the first or second world war
Spain has one of the longest life expectancies in the world at 83.5 years in 2019
The Euro is the official currency of Spain.
The total area of Spain is 505,370 square kilometers.
The highest mountain in Spain is Mount Teide.
Spain’s national animal is the bull.
Nudity is entirely legal in Spain
In Spain, it is legal to grow and smoke cannabis for your own personal use.
Spain also includes the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and a number of uninhabited islands in the Mediterranean
Spain’s original monetary unit was the pesetas.
the Portugal–Spain border is the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union at 754 miles
Spain has a small exclave town called Llívia which is actually in France.
Spain is the second-most visited tourist country in the world
Spain is the world’s biggest producer of Saffron.
Spain was supposed to be the original home of the Eiffel Tower.
There is an annual festival in Spain named “La Tomatina” where thousands of tomatoes are thrown at each other.
Spain has the largest number of plant species (7,600) of all European countries
The national flower of Spain is the Red Carnation
Spain has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe, at 13.7%.
Spain once ruled 21 countries that are independent today.
Spain is Europe’s main producer of wind energy
Rio Ebro with 910 km of length is the longest river in Spain.
Around 15% of the world’s vineyards are in Spain.
The quill pen was first invented in Spain.
Spain has the most extensive high-speed rail network in Europe with a total of over 3,400 km of high-speed tracks
There are 47 public airports in Spain
Spain has one of the oldest populations in the world, with an average age of 43.1 years
The most popular traditional musical instrument, the guitar, originated in Spain.
Spain has more bars per person than any other country in the EU.
Don Quixote, a book by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, is considered to be the world’s first modern novel.
The highest recorded temperature was 116°F in Cordoba.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Spain was -25°F.
Spain leads the world in regards to organ donation.
Spain has the Running of the Bulls festival annually.
Paella originated from Valencia in Spain and was originally made with rabbits, snails, and vegetables
Spain is home to the oldest still-operating lighthouse in the world, The Tower of Hercules
The oldest official restaurant in the world is in Madrid. It has been running since 1725 and is called Sobrino de Botín.
5 languages are spoken in Spain. Castillan, Galician, Basque, Aranès, and Catalan.
Spain is home to the Iberian Lynx, Iberian Wolf, The Spanish Ibex, and the Iberian Pig.
Chorizo is originally from Spain
Naming a child Judas, Cain, and Mandarina is illegal in Spain.
Traditional flamenco music originated from the region of Andalusia.
SEAT is the only Spanish automobile manufacturer.
Of the world’s supply of olive oil, about 45% come from Spain
