Full country name: Kingdom of Spain
Area: 504.782 sq. km
Population: 40.21 million
Capital: Madrid
Local peoples: Spaniards, Basques, Catalans, Galicians, Moroccans, Gypsies
Language: Basque, Gaulish, Catalan, Spanish
Religion: 90% Roman Catholic
Government: parliamentary monarchy
Head of State: King Juan Carlos
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jos-Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
GNP: US0.7 billion
GNP per capita: US,200
Annual growth: 4%
Inflation in Spain: 2.9%
Main industries: textiles and clothing, food and beverages, metals, chemicals, shipbuilding, tourism
Main trading partners: EU (especially France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, UK, Benelux), USA
Spain is a member of the European Union
Spain is divided into 17 autonomous regions, the southernmost of which is Andalusia.
The capital of Andalusia - Seville - is famous for its historical sites. This is one of the oldest and most beautiful Spanish cities, a favorite place for tourists to visit. The main attractions of Seville: The Cathedral of Santa Maria, built in the 15th century in the Gothic style, and reaching a height of 56 m (it ranks third in Europe after the Cathedrals of St. Peter and St. Paul) the famous Plaza of Spain, the beautiful Park of Mary - Louise, the old quarter of Santa Cruz, the Alcazar - the residence of the Spanish kings, the Alhambra complex, the Generalife Garden ('High Garden'). There are many more interesting places in the city.
Where Andalusia joins the Mediterranean Sea, a narrow strip of the Costa del Sol resort stretches: 50 km east from the city of Malaga and 150 km west to Gibraltar. It has a wonderful climate, as the sun shines for more than 320 days a year (translated from Spanish, “Costa del Sol” means “Sun Coast”). The mountain range from the north protects the coast from the wind and creates a special microclimate. In summer, when the temperature in other regions of Spain reaches +45 degrees, it rarely exceeds +30 here. In winter, the daytime temperature rises to +20 degrees, the night temperature usually does not fall below +8.
Many residents of England, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries have acquired a “second residence” here in order to spend several months a year by the warm sea. Therefore, there is an excellent infrastructure on the coast: many shops, restaurants, tennis and golf clubs, private schools, including those with instruction in English.
The administrative center of the Costa del Sol - Malaga - the second largest city in southern Spain. And Malaga International Airport connects the province with the whole world. At the end of 2007, AVE, a high-speed rail line, opened. Travel time to Madrid is only 2.5 hours.
The main resort towns lined up along the coast to the west of Malaga. Democratic and cosmopolitan Torremolinos, tranquil Benalmadena, Fuengirola with its blue flag beaches, fashionable Marbella and Puerto Banus, secluded and spacious Estepona, impregnable Ronda, mysterious and mysterious Nerja... And many more picturesque places that will impress even the most spoiled tourist. After all, Spain is so different that everyone can find their own piece of paradise here!
