Chapter 5 Chapter 5

SpainSpain

SpainSpain

Country name: Kingdom of Spain, Spain Capital: Madrid Location: Southwestern Europe,

bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France

Border countries:Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Portugal, Morocco (Ceuta), Morocco (Melilla)

Spain includes Balearic Islands, the Canary Archipelago, and the Moroccan coastal territories of Ceuta and Melilla.

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

Population: 40,217,413 (July 2003 est.) Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%,

Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.) (32nd in the world) (2002 est.)

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

Currency: euro (EUR) (CIA, World Fact Book)

Important FactsImportant Facts

The second top destination in the world 51,7 million international tourist arrivals

(second highest after France) $ 33.6 billion international tourism receipts

(the second after US) (WTO, 2003) Coastline: 4.964 km Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau

surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast (CIA, World Fact Book).

Europe’s second most mountainous country (after Switzerland). Climate varies dramatically according to altitude. True alpine conditions prevail from the Pyrenees in the north to the Sierra Nevada (above Granada) in the south.

Spain is divided into two distinctive regions (Catalonia and Basque regions), each with its own culture, history and language.

Selling PointsSelling Points

Historical sites, lively cities, some of the finest art in the world, the Alhambra, shopping, cultural events, beaches, museums, caves, windsurfing, castles, skiing, water sports, fishing great food, bullfighting, flamenco, spectacular Moorish architecture, golf and tennis.

Brief HistoryBrief History The people who were later named Iberians

(or dwellers along the Rio Ebro) by the Greeks, migrated to Spain in the third millennium B.C. The origin of the Iberians is not certain, but archaeological evidence supports the theory that they came from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea

The Phoenicians (by 1100 BC), Romans and Germanic tribes had strong influence

AD 14, Part of the Roman Empire (called Hispania by the Romans), conquered by Germanic Tribes in 419

AD 700, The Moors, the Islamic conquerors ruled Spain for more than half a millennium

1492, Columbus’s exploration of the Americas, start of the peak of Spain’s power and influence, world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries. Failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power

MadridMadrid

Calle and Plaza Mayor (medieval Madrid) The city’s oldest church, San Nicolas de los Servitas

Calle Serrano, Gran Via (places for shopping) Victory Arc Palacio Real (the royal palace; art treasurers,

crown jewels) Rastro Flea Market Plaza de las Cibeles, Puerto del Sol (major

intersections: fountains, monuments and shops)

Paradise for museum-goer’s. 15 important museums and dozens galleries The Prado Museum (one of the greatest in

the world, 18th century building, features the works of Rubens, Goya, El Greco, Bosch, Velazquez, Titian, Murillo, Durer)

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (newest art museum in Madrid, features Picasso’s masterpiece “Guernica”

The Palacio de Villahermosa, Lazaro Galdiano Museum, Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, and Madrid’s Tiflological Museum, Museum of America.

“terraza” (outdoor cafes) parks and lakes (Retiro Park, Victorian

greenhouse, Crystal Palace – small lake and swans)

26th floor of Edificio de Espana (panoramic view of Madrid)

flamenco shows in nightclubs Huertas Street (for shows, jazz clubs etc.) Outside Madrid (El Escorial – summer

house of Philip II; tapestry, sculpture, and painting collections; tombs of Spain’s kings for the last 500 years)

BarcelonaBarcelona charming port along the Mediterranean coast,

art and design centre, best quality nightlife Picasso Museum (his drawings at the age of

five) Miro Museum La Sagrada Familia (surreal church designed

by Catalan architecture Antoni Gaudi, not finished yet, combination of a dragon’s cave and a castle made from whipped cream)

Eixample (upscale shopping district, has some art nouveau buildings of Gaudi)

Palau de Musica - Music Place – (famous concert hall designed by Domenech i Montaner, another art-nouveau great)

Las Ramblas (pedestrian street with dozens of outdoor cafes, best place to people watch)

Placa Real (bars and restaurants) Medieval Gothic quarter

Els Quatre Gats (Picasso’s old hangout) Barceloneta (waterfront, beach area, full of

restaurants) Montjuic (lovely hill on the edge of the city

with attractions)

Balearic IslandsBalearic Islands

Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Menorca sit in the western Mediterranean, 45 minutes

flight from Barcelona have Greek, Roman, Moor influences excellent shopping, nice climate, great food,

beautiful scenery, not very good beaches favorite place for package tours from

Northern Europe Ibiza is the most crowded, and popular Formentera and Menorca are more quite.

Begins in France, stretches west along the Bay of Biscay (north of Spain, Iberian Peninsula)

a picturesque region with its own language Bilbao and San Sebastian are the major towns

to visit. Bilbao;

the largest city in Basque region, industrial, not a tourist place

there are some nice museums for museum goers (Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Museum of Archeology and Ethnology)

Basque RegionBasque Region

14th century Gothic Church of Santiago Ensanche Park

San Sebastian; picturesque, expensive, fashionable place in

Spain to spend the summer nice beaches, beautiful old town center, good

bars and restaurants (Basque cuisine) film festival in September town of Pamplona, in July, there is the famous

running of the bulls, bookings should be made a year in advance.

Canary IslandsCanary Islands Names of the islands: Fuerteventura, Gomera,

Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, El Hierro, La Palma

they are 96 km west of Africa all year springlike climate, fairly good

beaches of white, gold and black, casinos, golf, tennis, fishing.

Fuerteventura; diving, white-sand beaches

Gomera; Historic sites related to Columbus, lush scenery,

least accessible (do not have airport), ferry from Tenerife, not much entertainment

Gran Canaria; the most visited, golfing, yachting, shopping,

casinos, beaches Las Palmas, the principal city of islands

Lanzarote; white, black and gold beaches, 300 volcanoes,

crowded Tenerife;

beaches, mountains Carnival celebrations

La Palma El Hierro

Costa BlancaCosta Blanca

Southeast Mediterranean shore with popular resort towns

Alicante, Benidorm, Altea, Denia Benidorm;

center of action like Miami Beach or Waikiki

high rise buildings, bars and restaurants, party atmosphere

Costa del SolCosta del Sol

The famous coastal are running along the Mediterranean from east of Malaga to Gibraltar, finest beaches in Spain

overdeveloped, spreads inland and include some lakes,

beautiful fishing and agricultural villages, cobble-stone streets, flowers every windowsill, whitewashed houses

known for flamenco dancing, reflects Arab influence

Malaga; pleasant large city with great scenery,

polluted sea Marbella;

whitewashed buildings, shopping, good nightlife, acceptable beaches, strong Arab influence

Some other towns; Estepona, Mijas, Nerja and Torremolinos

GranadaGranada

main attraction is the 13th century Moorish Alhambra

palaces (open at night in warmer months), fortress and gardens

Court of the Lions in moonlight The Generalife Gardens and the Royal

Chapel (the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella)

Sierra Nevada; ski station

SevilleSeville

most important city during Spanish colonial period

one of the world’s largest Gothic style cathedral with Christopher Colombus Mausoleum (some say he is buried in Dominican Republic)

Santa Cruz Jewish Quarter - twisting medieval streets, clubs, bars and restaurants

famous for its festivals - Semana Santa, La Feria

ToledoToledo

was the capital of Roman Spain place where El Greco lived and

painted, El Greco’s home (now museum)

especially beautiful at night

Things to RememberThings to Remember

Prado Museum is closed on Mondays Dinner is eaten after 10 pm Vineyards are present more than

anywhere else