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Introduction to Spain - Spanish Residence
Spain is the second most mountainous country (only to Switzerland), with the central plateau - the meMeseta averaging 600-700 meters in elevation.
Spain is also the second largest and sunniest country in Europe and has been described by the Word Health organisation as one of the healthiest climates in the world
the Iberian peninsula was once heavily forested, but it is estimates that only around 10% of the original woodland remains.
Much of the Meseta is flat and arid, particulary in Almeria. Whereas the Spanish coastline has a mix of dune systems, shingle banks, rocky cliffs, salt marshes and long sweeping sandy beaches.
Unlike most of Europe, Spain is still mostly a wild country as the low population (around 40 million) makes less demands on the surrounding wilderness. not only that, the population density of Spain is approx 80 people per 200 square miles (a third of the UK) - and one of the lowest in Europe
The common language in Spain is Castilian - and is spoken by aprox 74% of the population. The remaining are split into 17% who speak Catalan, 7% speak Galician and 2% Basque. However, as Franco banned regional languages during his reign - most do speak Castilian
Crime in Spain is one of the lowest in Europe - there are however some regions that still have quite high crime rates, which should be seriously taken into consideration before making any decision to buy a property (ask one of our team for further details on crime rates and recommended areas)
Within Spain there are 17 autonomous regions (communidades autónomas) each with its own president, government, administration and supreme court. All of these are funded by the central government
Spain has the fifth largest economy in Europe and accounts for approx 10% of the EU output. It still is however (even with some of the traditional methods) the worlds largest producers of olive oil, fourth largest producer of dried fruit and six largest producer of citrus fruits. Spain still boasts some of the largest vineyards in the world in fact 60% larger than that of France - and is considered third largest worldwide wine producer.
Growth in the country is still running at around 3% with inflation about the same, however unemployment is still a problem for Spain - and should be a major consideration if you are looking to move to, and work in Spain.
- Fiestas
- Throughout Spain you can still see the Arabic moors influences, having rules Spain for 800 years. many of the smaller villages begin with "Beni" which means "son of" in Arabic.
- Fiestas are a common sight in Spain, and many small villages will be decked with flags and streamers with bands playing celebrating the fiesta. Each fiesta is celebrated for different occasions, they can be for religion, harvest etc.. and many include the running of the bulls
- Food
Traditional dish in Spain is paella. The saffron taste of this rice based dish is best enjoyed with sea-views, but can be obtained in most places.-
- Most bars serve food with drinks (known as tapas), and this varies from region to region.
- Religion
99% of the Spain's 40 million population declare themselves Catholic. There are some classic cathedrals, churches and religious sanctuary's (one of the most renowned being the Sanctuary in Calasparra)
- Heritage
The King of Spain is Juan Carlos III who married Queen Sofia of the Greek royal family. They have two daughters, Princesses Alena and Cristina, and one son Price Felipe, who is the Prince of Asturias and is heir to the throne- The royal family live in the Palcaio de la Zarzuela which is a few miles north west of Madrid. They also have a palace in Palma de Mallorca
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- The King pays taxes, and the Spanish royal family is one of the least expensive to maintain in Europe.
- Geography
Spain covers approx 492,460km2 of the Iberian peninsula, and 504,740km2 including the Balearic and Canary islands. The country is a vast plain surrounded by mountains, and is the second highest country in Europe (Switzerland has the highest range)-
- Spain is often referred to as the "old bull hide" as it resembles a stretched-out bull hide. It has two north African enclaves, Ceuta and Meilla administered by the provinces of Cadiz and Malaga respectively, and have been held by Spain since the 15th century
The Pyrenees in the north form a natural barrier between Spain, France and Andorra, while to the west is Portugal.
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