The heart of youth tourism - Balearic Islands, especially Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza, famous for nightlife... Cultural and eco-tourism is developed in the interior regions of the country. But the backbone of the hospitality industry is beach resorts: Catalan Costa del Maresme, and Costa de Valencia in the autonomous community of Valencia, Andalusian resorts Costa de la Luz, Costa Tropical, Costa de Almeria,.
Many tourists are attracted by annual festivals, a significant part of which is dedicated to local saints, folklore and traditions. Especially popular are Ensierro in Pamplona, the Seville Fair, Romeria de El Rocio, Tomatina in Buñol, Fallas in Valencia, carnivals in Cadiz and the Canary Islands; music festivals Primavera Sound, Sonar, Festimad and Festival International de Benicassim; Mostra de Valencia Film Festivals, Sitges Festival, Valladolid International Film Festival.
Economy, employment
Spain has a traditionally high level of unemployment, especially among youth. According to statistics, at the time economic crises every fifth Spaniard does not work anywhere.
The vast majority of the population is employed in the service sector. Historically, Spain is an agricultural country, but nowadays relatively few people are involved in this area.
Winemaking is very well developed (pictured on the left). Here is the world famous region - the country of wine and vineyards.
The cultivation of citrus fruits, vegetable growing, animal husbandry and fishing are developed. Spain is almost a quarter of the world's production of olives and olive oil - the most popular among tourists. Due to the diversity food products, so rich in dishes for every taste, and Spain itself is firmly entrenched in the list best countries for gastronomic tourism. In many ways, the famous and magnificent contribute to this.
Residents of Spain
In ancient times, the Iberian Peninsula was inhabited mainly by the Iberians, who later mixed with the Celts and assimilated by the Romans. The formed Ibero-Roman community was successively diluted by the Germans and Arabs with the Berbers, and several nationalities were formed. We talked about this in detail in the article "". The indigenous people of Spain: Spaniards (Castilians), Basques, Catalans and Galicians make up the vast majority of the country's population.
The Spaniards are predominantly Catholic (about 75%). The second and third places are occupied by Islam (over a million) and Orthodoxy (about 900 thousand people). Orthodox Christians are mostly from of Eastern Europe... Almost every tenth resident of Spain is an immigrant or descendant of immigrants.
SPAIN - GENERAL
Territory- 504,750 sq. Km. In terms of territory, Spain is the second country in Western Europe after France.
Population- 39.2 million people. National composition: Spaniards, Catalans, Galicians, Basques.
Languages:Spanish (official language - 74% of the population), Catalan (autonomous community of Catalonia - 17%), Galician (autonomous community of Galicia - 7%), Basque (Basque Country - 2%).
Religion- 99% Catholic.
Capital- Madrid.
Largest cities - Madrid (3 million), Barcelona (1.7 million), Seville (714 thousand).
Administrative division - 17 autonomous communities. There are also 2 territorial enclaves on the coast of Morocco (Ceuta and Melilla) and three groups of islands off the coast of Morocco under Spanish control.
Form of government- a constitutional monarchy.
Head of state - King Juan Carlos.
Currency- Euro.
Banks serve clients on weekdays from 08.15 - to 14.00, on Saturday until 13.00, Sunday is a day off. Currency can also be exchanged at exchange offices, hotels and travel agencies.
Visa regime - Schengen visa.
Time- Moscow minus two hours.
Geography of Spain
Spain is located in southwestern Europe and occupies about 85% of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula. Also, Spain owns the Balearic and Pitius Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The cities of Ceuta and Melilla (in Morocco) and the islands of Velez de la Gomera, Alusenas and Chafaranas are under Spanish rule. Territory: 504,750 sq. Km. Of these: land - 499,400 sq. Km, water - 5,350 sq. Km. Spain borders with France - 623 km, Portugal - 1.214 km, Andorra - 65 km, the English colony of Gibraltar - 1.2 km, Morocco: (Ceuta) - 6.3 km, (Melilla) - 9.6 km. The total length of the border: on the ground - 1,919.1 km, coastline- 4,964 km. central part the territory of Spain - the Meseta plateau with a chain of mountains Center. Cordillera. In the north and north-east - the Pyrenees, Cantabrian, Iberian and Catalan mountains, in the south - the Andalusian mountains (Mulasen, 3478 m, - highest point continental Spain) and the Sierra Morena mountains. Major rivers- Tahoe, Duero, Ebro, Guadalquivir, Guadiana. The country in the southeast is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, in the west - by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Spain is located at the crossroads of important sea and air routes linking Europe with the African and American continents. Also Spain has strategic position along the Strait of Gibraltar.
Population of Spain
Spain is considered a single nation, formed on the basis of various historical regions and ethnic groups, the main of which are Catalans (15.6%), Andalusians (15.6%), Castilians (11.1%), Valencians (9.7%) , Galicians (7.4%) and Basques (5.6%).
Most of the population of Spain (99%) is Catholic. The Catholic Church is very influential in the country.
The total population of the country is 39.6 million; population density - 78.5 people per 1 sq. km; annual population growth - 0.2%; illiteracy rate - 4.6%; life expectancy is 78 years.
Four languages are spoken in Spain: Spanish, Basque, Catalan and Galician. The state and most spoken language in the country is Spanish.
Climate of Spain
Spain has a Mediterranean climate. Average temperatures in January are from 4-5 ° С on the Meset plateau to 12 ° С in the south, in July, respectively, from 23 to 29 ° С. Precipitation is 300-500 mm, in the mountains of St. 1000 mm per year (mainly in winter).
The Canary archipelago is also Spain, and you can swim on the island of Tenerife all year round. Wherein average temperature air + 22-24 ° C, and even in August there is no sweltering heat.
Spanish cuisine
Spanish national cuisine is considered one of the best in the world in terms of quality and variety of products. Its peculiarity is the amalgamation of numerous regional cuisines, each of which has been influenced by climatic conditions and the way of life of the people of the area. National cuisine can be divided into Catalan, Valencian, Basque, etc. Madrid stands alone. Madrid-style grilled meats, cod and rennet (stewed entrails cut into pieces) are equally loved here, as are the traditional cosido madrileños (pea soups with croutons). But the most popular is the Madrid "calos" - spiced tripe with blood sausage and pepper sauce. You should definitely try at least the classic dishes. The famous Spanish omelet "tortiya", spicy smoked sausage "chorizo", ham "serrano", sheep cheese "manchego", gourmet special smoked ham "jamon". And, of course, cold gazpacho soup.
Work time
Institutions: 9.00-13.00 and 16.00-20.00 (Monday - Friday).
Shops: 9: 00-13: 00 and 16: 00-20: 00 (Monday - Saturday). Large department stores: El Corte Ingles 10:00 - 21:00 (Monday Saturday, no break). Supermarkets: "Continente, Pryca, Alcampo, Mercadonna 9:00 (10:00) - 20:00 (21:00) Monday - Saturday, no break. tourist centers during the holidays, some shops are also open on Sundays.
Museums: from 9.00-13.00 and 16.00-19.00 (as a rule). Some museums are closed on Sunday and Monday.
Telephone
Anywhere in Spain there are telephone booths from which you can call anywhere in the world. Telephone sets accept coins of 5, 10, 25, 100 and 500 pesetas. It is more convenient to call Russia from any telephone booth installed on the street or in a bar or restaurant - it is much cheaper than calling from a hotel.
Required phones:
national police - 091
local police - 092
Red Cross - 22-22-22
urgent health care – 061
fire service - 080
exact time service - 093
referral service - 098
Tips
Tipping in Spain is an ancient tradition, practiced in bars and restaurants, taxis, cinemas, hotels. Please note that service charges may be invoiced. Typically, the tip is 5-10% in restaurants and taxis.
Useful tips for Spain
Going to Spain do not count on English... Learn Spanish words, or at least write them down on a piece of paper. A well-chosen 30-word list will make your life immeasurably easier.
If you do not live in Moscow, a tour with a departure from your city will cost one and a half times more than a tour with a departure from Moscow. Perhaps it makes sense to fly from Moscow.
If you are faced with a choice when to go to the coast - in June or September, keep in mind that the sea is noticeably cooler in June.
Buy and take with you a pocket-sized (so you can carry it with you) Spanish-Russian / Russian-Spanish dictionary. As practice shows, standard phrasebooks turn out to be practically useless, the ideal option is knowing a couple of dozen basic phrases plus a dictionary in case you need to urgently translate a word.
Charter flights tend to be very late. Do not be surprised or worried, just be mentally prepared for the confusion at the airport and the fact that you will have to spend a couple of extra hours in it.
The sand on the beaches is different depending on the beach - from coarse and sharp, as, for example, in Lloret de Mar, to very fine.
Popular for its affordable prices, Lloret de Mar is poorly suited for family vacation, for it is flooded with youth from all over Europe. If that suits you, Lloret is the way to go, but if you prefer a quieter, more cozier location, it's better to choose something else.
The Costa Brava is characterized by a "steep bottom", when after making four or five steps into the sea you dive headlong. This is not particularly important for adults, but with young children who like to play in shallow water, it is still better to go to a different coast.
Talk about the insidious Spanish sun is completely true. Don't neglect protective creams.
In order not to get sandy towels on the beach, it is best not to spend money on sun loungers every day, but to buy a pair of mats (it will cost about a little euro apiece). You can buy them right there, in nearby shops. It also doesn't hurt to buy a folding sun umbrella. It is more expensive, about 10 euros, but worth it.
If you are traveling on your own, keep in mind that during the season to rent an inexpensive 1 * -2 * hotel within the line major cities can be extremely difficult. In the nearest suburbs, this is more likely.
You can significantly save on the city public transport if you buy passes for 10 rides.
Water parks usually open in late May - early June and close by October.
In Tenerife, you can look into the Teide volcano crater only with a special separately obtained permit, which travel agencies forget to warn about.
The exchange commission (if any) of a currency, in addition to interest, always has a certain mandatory minimum - for example, 2 euros, so it is more profitable to change a large amount once than small ones several times.
If you need to buy beach accessories (swimwear, towels, slippers), remember that their prices in Spain are 3 to 7 times lower than in Moscow. For example, swimwear costs 15-20 euros. Luxury beach towels - 5-10 euros. But film in Spain is more expensive - from 4 euros.
Hot tea and coffee in hotels is usually offered only for breakfast. If you are accustomed to having tea in the evenings, a small camping boiler will come in handy.
EmbassySpain in Moscow
Moscow, st. Bolshaya Nikolskaya, 50/8. Tel .: +7 (495)2022161, 2022180 / Fax +7 2919171
Brief country information
Date of foundation
Spanish
Form of government
Parliamentary monarchy
Territory
504,782 km² (51st in the world)
Population
47 370 542 people (26th in the world)
Timezone
CET (UTC + 1, UTC + 2 in summer)
Largest cities
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville
$ 1.536 trillion (13th in the world)
Internet domain
Telephone code
A colorful, cheerful, sunny country located in the southwest of Europe. It occupies approximately 85% of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the Balearic and Pitius Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. There are many cities in Spain, whose history goes back more than one millennium, works of architectural art and cleanest beaches that attracts travelers from different parts of the world here, to this fertile land. The heights of the Pyrenees, Sierra Morena and the Andalusian mountains do not leave indifferent fans active rest: ski resorts with equipped slopes and magnificent landscapes, hundreds and thousands of tourists are welcomed every year. The country of flamenco and bullfighting, as it is also called, is visited by an average of 30 million tourists annually. A real paradise for beach holiday can be called the Canary and Balearic Islands.
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Kingdom Spain(Espana - in Spanish and Spain - in English) is a state located in the south-west of Europe and occupies most of the Iberian - also known as Iberian - peninsula. In addition, Spain owns a number of overseas territories: Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean; The Balearic and Pitius Islands in the Mediterranean and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the northern coast of Africa.
- In the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain borders on Portugal, in the south - on the British territory of Gibraltar, in the north the country has a common border with France and microscopic Andorra, and in the north of Africa also with Morocco
- In the west and north, the Spanish shores are washed by the corresponding open Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay (also known as the Cantabrian Sea) of the latter, and to the east and south by the Mediterranean
- (comparatively) Detailed
Basic information about Spain
As in Europe in general, there are not so many inhabited megacities - only two cities in Spain have passed the mark of one million inhabitants. These are Madrid and Barcelona. In terms of the number of inhabitants, even some can not compete with the capital of Spain, Madrid (3.3 million inhabitants in the city itself and 6 million inhabitants in the metropolitan arena).
The second place is taken by the capital of the most economically developed region of the country (Catalonia), Barcelona, which counts more than 1.6 million people among its inhabitants. In third place is Valencia, the capital of the community of the same name - over 800 thousand inhabitants, in fourth place is the beautiful Andalusian capital, Seville (700 thousand people).
Aragonese Zaragoza closes the top five most populated cities in the country, practically on par with Seville in terms of the number of inhabitants (over 700 thousand). On the 6th place is the dynamically developing capital of the Costa del Sol, Malaga (570 thousand inhabitants).
Spain has been and remains an extremely popular country among tourists: in terms of the number of foreigners received per year, it is second only to neighboring France. There are dozens of iconic sights in Spain.
Spain landmarks
We will mention only those that are heard. The El Escorial Palace near Madrid, marked by the seal of the genius Antoni Gaudí, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona is perhaps the most unusual temple in the world, the fortress of the Moorish kings in Granada, the Alhambra, the Montserrat monastery in the rocks of Catalonia, the Seville Cathedral - the second largest Catholic Church(more only in Rome) Europe, are known even to those who have never been to this country.
Those who are going to visit Spain will be able to discover a lot of at least interesting places... Almost any city in the country, from the megacities of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Seville and ending with provincial centers like Bilbao, Valladolid, Burgos, Zaragoza, Toledo has exclusively ancient history and own attractions.
- The resorts of Spain are also naturally popular - in themselves the most important and favorite tourist attractions of this country. Their number is so large that many already allow themselves to distinguish between the city, informing easily: I am going to the Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Costa Verde or some other, smaller, “costa”.
Small towns or now large places, entire municipalities, the only reason for their growth was the influx of foreign tourists - such as Benidorm, Marbella, Alicante or whole resort islands, Ibiza or Tenerife, are known far beyond the borders of the country and even beyond the continent.
Spain is administratively divided into 17 Autonomous Communities and 2 Autonomous Cities. Areas: Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Valencia, Galicia, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Catalonia, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Rioja, Basque Country and Extremadura. Cities (on the African continent): Ceuta and Melilla.
By political structure Spain is a constitutional monarchy. The king is considered the supreme head of state. The executive power in the country is represented by the Cabinet of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister - the leader of the party that won the parliamentary elections.
- The main legislative branch of the country: a bicameral parliament or Cortes General (Cortes Generales), consisting of the Senate (upper house) and the Congress of Deputies (lower house), re-elected every four years.
Spain is completely installed in the European economic and defense system: the country is a member of the European Union, the eurozone (the zone of circulation of the euro as the main currency) and NATO. Also included in international organizations UN and WTO.
Perhaps, thanks to this, Spain has a developed economy: the fifth in terms of turnover in the European Union and the fourth in the eurozone. Estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011 should be about 1 trillion 400 billion euros. That is, per capita of every Spaniard, goods and services worth 30 thousand European "rubles" are produced per year.
- By the way, judging by the research of the German newspaper Die Welt, if it were not for the global financial crisis that hit Spain with a hammer, then by 2011 the country would have overtaken Germany in per capita income
The following spheres of the economy are considered to be leading: mechanical engineering and textile industry(few people have not heard about automobile SEAT and clothing Zara), tourism (provides about 5% of GDP), banking (Santander Bank is the largest in the eurozone), as well as wine and olive oil production. For the last two branches of human activity, the Pyrenean country occupies a leading position in Europe.
Everything you need to know about Spain
- Official language
Spanish; - The official name of the country
The Kingdom of Spain; - Location
Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe and is considered a member of the European Union. A well-known fact about Spain is that the state occupies most of the Perinean Peninsula. Almost 80% of the territory of Spain includes the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. Spain is the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France. Not every tourist interested in all the facts about Spain knows that it is the most mountainous country in all of Europe; - State structure
The form of government is the Constitutional Monarchy.
The king is the head of state .; - Capital of Spain
the city of Madrid; - Currency
Remembering everything known facts about Spain, the first thing that comes to mind is that the country is a member of the European Union. In this regard, the official currency is the EURO (€), equal to 100 cents .; - Difference in time
Spanish time is 3 hours behind Moscow time; - Electrical voltage
220V.
All tourists, as a rule, are interested in collecting information about the country, with which states the kingdom borders and which sea in Spain. Spain received a rather interesting location - in the north and west it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea.
And here are all those land borders that Spain has:
- in the west - with Portugal;
- in the south - with Gibraltar;
- in the north - with France and Andorra;
- v north africa- from Morocco.
All the most important about the climate in Spain
You can safely speak about Spain as about itself warm country in Western Europe.
The number of sunny days a year is 260 - 285 days. Everything, of course, is changeable and changeable, but basically (according to statistics) this is so.
The average annual air temperature is + 20 ° C.
The climate of Spain is very interesting in relation to the territory of the country:
- in winter the air temperature in the northern and central regions can drop below zero degrees;
- in the summer, at the height of the season, in central and southern regions On the Mediterranean coast the temperature can rise up to 40 ° C, and in the northern part of the coast it can be no more than + 25 ° C.
All this information gives, albeit a brief, but quite understandable idea of Spain as a resort country for thermophilic tourists.
All the most interesting facts about the population of Spain
According to the October 2011 census, the population of Spain is 46.16 million.
All almost 76% of the population are urban residents - this is evidenced by statistics from the same period.
95% of the inhabitants of Spain are Catalians, which did not prevent 67% of them from expressing their agreement on the legalization of same-sex marriage.
9% of the population are expats.
All about the resort cities of Spain
Largest cities in Spain
- Madrid -;
- Barcelona -;
- Valencia -;
- Seville;
- Zaragoza;
- Malaga.
Vacation spots in Spain
The place where the country is located is not stingy with its resorts in Spain. Any tourist will find where to relax in Spain, taking into account their preferences. Whether it's just an excursion or a beach vacation.
- Barcelona;
- Costa Brava;
- Costa del Maresme;
- Costa Dorada;
- Gran Canaria;
- Mallorca -;
- Tenerife -
Having visited one of the resorts in Spain, you can get some idea of it as a country as a whole. Although, in fact, it is difficult to judge Spain by one part of it.
Some more interesting information about Spain
- The shops are open from 10:00 to 20:00. Break - from 14:00 to 17:00;
- Bars and bakeries open at 8:00;
- Shopping is best done in large cities Spain, because all the boutiques of famous brands are located there;
- Pottery, leather goods, fans, olive oils and wines brought from there will remind of Spain;
- Leaving a tip in Spain is optional, because it is already included in the cost of services and amounts to 10-15% of it. If you liked the service so much and you want to thank the institution, then it is customary to leave a tip in the amount of 5%;
- The national holiday is celebrated on October 12 and is called "Day of the Spanish Nation".
| Spain flag | Coat of arms of Spain |
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Visa to enter the country
All citizens Russian Federation are obliged to know if they and their fellow travelers need a visa to Spain.
Tourists wishing to go on vacation to Spain should be aware of this before traveling without fail. The visa is issued at the Consular Section of the Spanish Embassy in Moscow.
Spain is the very country about which you want to know as much as possible, but you can never learn absolutely everything! Spain opens up in a new way every time. This is evidenced by the fact that the number of tourists returning to the country is growing every year.
