Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government's major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008.

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

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

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

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

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

periodic droughts, occasional flooding

pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2%

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

47,042,984 (July 2012 est.)

10.4 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

8.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

5.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

MADRID (capital) 5.762 million; Barcelona 5.029 million; Valencia 812,000 (2009)

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.48 children born/woman (2012 est.)

3.705 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

3.22 beds/1,000 population (2008)

parliamentary monarchy

17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna (Catalonia), Comunidad Valenciana (Valencian Community), Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)

1492; 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

National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas

approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978; signed by the king 27 December 1978

civil law system with regional variations

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral; General Courts or Las Cortes Generales (National Assembly) consists of the Senate or Senado (264 seats as of 2008; 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 56 - as of 2008 - appointed by the regional legislatures; members to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; each of the 50 electoral provinces fills a minimum of two seats and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla fill one seat each with members serving a four-year term; the other 248 members are determined by proportional representation based on popular vote on block lists who serve four-year terms)

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo; Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucioanal de Espana

Amaiur [collective leadership] (a coalition of parties advocating the peaceful Basque independence from Spain); Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ [Inigo URKULLU Renteria]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Claudina MORALES Rodriquez] (a coalition of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Guillerme VAZQUEZ Vazquez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan HERRA i Torres]; Yes to the Future or Geroa Bai [collective leadership] (a coalition of four Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Oril JUNQUERAS i Vies]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE; Union of People of Navarra or UPN [Yolanda BARCINA Angulo]; Union, Progress and Democracy or UPyD [Rosa DIEZ Gonzalez]; United Left or IU [Cayo LARA Moya] (a coalition of parties including the Communist Party of Spain or PCE and other small parties)

Association for Victims of Terrorism or AVT (grassroots organization devoted primarily to supporting victims of the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization); 15-M or 15 May protest movement, which is also known as the Indignados, Spanish for the "indignant ones" (a loose association of grassroots organizations that advocate for greater accountability and transparency in Spanish politics, increased social justice and job creation); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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 is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century

spain's mixed capitalist economy is the 13th largest in the world, and its per capita income roughly matches that of Germany and France. However, after almost 15 years of above average GDP growth, the Spanish economy began to slow in late 2007 and entered into a recession in the second quarter of 2008. GDP contracted by 3.7% in 2009, ending a 16-year growth trend, and by another 0.1% in 2010, before turning positive in 2011, making Spain the last major economy to emerge from the global recession. The reversal in Spain''s economic growth reflected a significant decline in construction amid an oversupply of housing and falling consumer spending, while exports actually have begun to grow. Government efforts to boost the economy through stimulus spending, extended unemployment benefits, and loan guarantees did not prevent a sharp rise in the unemployment rate, which rose from a low of about 8% in 2007 to over 20% in 2011. The government budget deficit worsened from 3.8% of GDP in 2008 to 9.2% of GDP in 2010, more than three times the euro-zone limit. Madrid cut the deficit to 8.5% of GDP in 2011, a larger deficit than the 6% target negotiated between Spain and the EU. Spain''s large budget deficit and poor economic growth prospects have made it vulnerable to financial contagion from other highly-indebted euro zone members despite the government''s efforts to cut spending, privatize industries, and boost competitiveness through labor market reforms. Spanish banks'' high exposure to the collapsed domestic construction and real estate market also poses a continued risk for the sector. The government oversaw a restructuring of the savings bank sector in 2010, and provided some $15 billion in capital to various institutions. Investors remain concerned that Madrid may need to bail out more troubled banks. The Bank of Spain, however, is seeking to boost confidence in the financial sector by pressuring banks to come clean about their losses and consolidate into stronger groups.

$1.432 trillion (2011 est.)

$1.421 trillion (2010 est.)

$1.422 trillion (2009 est.)

$1.494 trillion (2011 est.)

23.1 million (2011 est.)

21.7% of GDP (2011 est.)

36.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

-8.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

68.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

61.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

1.75% (31 December 2011)

1.75% (31 December 2010)

8.3% (31 December 2011 est.)

7.223% (31 December 2010 est.)

$778.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$811 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.488 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

$2.388 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)

$3.683 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

$3.451 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.031 trillion (31 December 2011)

$1.172 trillion (31 December 2010)

$1.297 trillion (31 December 2009)

grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

-$55.1 billion (2011 est.)

-$64.34 billion (2010 est.)

$303.6 billion (2011 est.)

$253 billion (2010 est.)

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods

France 18.2%, Germany 10.4%, Portugal 8.1%, Italy 8.1%, UK 6.5% (2011)

$363.1 billion (2011 est.)

$315.3 billion (2010 est.)

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Germany 12.6%, France 11.5%, Italy 6.9%, China 6%, Netherlands 5%, UK 4.3%, Portugal 4% (2011)

$47.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$31.91 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.57 trillion (30 June 2011)

$2.166 trillion (30 June 2010)

$641.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$621.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$662.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$644.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

279.6 billion kWh (2010 est.)

256.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)

13.52 billion kWh (2010 est.)

5.169 billion kWh (2010 est.)

96.28 million kW (2009 est.)

48.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

7.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

13.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

24.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

12,090 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.046 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

150 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

1.211 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.384 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

240,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

528,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

52 million cu m (2011 est.)

33.55 billion cu m (2011 est.)

1.698 billion cu m (2011 est.)

35.49 billion cu m (2011 est.)

2.548 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

316.4 million Mt (2010 est.)

19.667 million (2011)

53.067 million (2011)

a mixture of both publicly-operated and privately-owned TV and radio stations; overall, hundreds of TV channels are available including national, regional, local, public, and international channels; satellite and cable TV systems available; multiple national radio networks, a large number of regional radio networks, and a larger number of local radio stations; overall, hundreds of radio stations (2008)

4.232 million (2010)

28.119 million (2009)

gas 9,359 km; oil 560 km; refined products 3,441 km (2010)

Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona, Valencia (Spain); Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2010)

18 years of age for voluntary military service by a Spanish citizen or legal immigrant, 2-3 year obligation; women allowed to serve in all SAF branches, including combat units; Spanish Government can mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency; mandatory retirement of non-NCO enlisted personnel at age 45 or 58, depending on service length (2012)

1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime