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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

56 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.es

Internet users [time series]

7.89 million (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons domestic: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

17.336 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

8.394 million (1999)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $105 billion expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2000 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

EUR

Debt - external [time series]

$90 billion (1993 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

32.5 (1990)

Economic aid (Economic aid - donor) [time series]

ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. The government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reduced cooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% other: 4.1% (2001) nuclear: 27.2%

Exchange rates [time series]

euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Exports - partners [time series]

France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%, US 4.6% (2002)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 4% industry: 31% services: 65% (2000 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)

Imports - partners [time series]

France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.2% (2002 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (2002 est.)

Labor force [time series]

17.1 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

254.9 million cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption [time series]

1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

10.5 million bbl (37257)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.3% (2002 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 504,782 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera land: 499,542 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

4,964 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

40 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Irrigated land [time series]

36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,917.8 km border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 28.6% permanent crops: 9.56% other: 61.84% (1998 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

periodic droughts

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of Morocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994

Capital [time series]

Madrid

Constitution [time series]

6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubio chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since 4 September 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary monarchy

Independence [time series]

the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem 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

International organization participation [time series]

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Legal system [time series]

civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE 34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127, PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5 elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004)

National holiday [time series]

Hispanic Day, 12 October

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$8.6 billion (2002)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.15% (2002)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 10,524,715 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 255,826 (2003 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791) 15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

2,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

130,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages [time series]

Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 79.23 years male: 75.87 years female: 82.8 years (2003 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 38.7 years male: 37.4 years female: 40.1 years (2002)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Net migration rate [time series]

0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population [time series]

40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.16% (2003 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds; Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to territories around the town of Olivenza, Spain

Illicit drugs [time series]

key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Transportation

Airports [time series]

152 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 93 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 27 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 59 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 43 (2002)

Heliports [time series]

7 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 663,795 km paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 13, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 7,290 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,110 km; unknown (oil/water) 397 km (2003)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Railways [time series]

total: 14,189 km broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified) standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)

Waterways [time series]

1,045 km (of minor economic importance)