Last updated on November 6th, 2022
56. Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain, is one of the most visited places in the country.
57. Majorca is also a very visited destination with over 2,500 restaurants. It sees 6 million tourists every year. It is also visited by 35,000 cyclists each year.
58. About 60,000 animals die every year because of more than 16,000 religious festivals across Spain that are based on animal cruelty.
59. Spain attracts more tourists than any other European country except France.
Portugal and Spain
60. Portugal and Spain share not only a border, but also a peninsula.
61. José Manuel Durão Barroso was the former Prime Minister of Portugal.
62. Even though Spain is not known for having many earthquakes, one of the most severe earthquakes occurred in Lisbon, Portugal.
63. Portuguese is often spoken in northern Spain, in the Galician region.
64. In a festival, people are allowed to hit other people with garlic. Can you imagine the smell?!
65. Just like in Spain, the same sex-marriage is completely legal in Portugal.
Spanish food
66. Tortilla de patatas: a potato omelet. It is often in a circular shape.
67. Paella: a rice, vegetables and seafood dish. This dish is very common in the Mediterranean coast of Spain. In many occasions, paella is often made up of different ingredients including chicken and beef.
68. Churros: a typical dessert and breakfast pastry that is made in a circular shape and sprinkled with sugar.
69. Jamon Serrano: a cured piece of ham that is set to dry for several days. It is salted and cut into very thin strips.
70. Flan: a type of dessert that has the consistency of a tart. It is typically made with either eggs or vanilla and has a top made up of caramel syrup.
71. Gazpacho: a summertime drink that is made up of tomato soup in addition to bread, peppers, onions, and garlic.
Famous People from Spain
Enrique Iglesias: singer and songwriter. He was born in Madrid and is warmly regarded as the king of Latin pop.
Penelope Cruz: actress and model. She made her debut into the acting world at the age of 16 and starred in her first movie the next year.
Javier Bardem: actor and director. He was born in the Canary Islands and is most known for his role in ‘No Country for Old Men’ and ‘Eat Pray Love’.
Ricky Martin: singer and songwriter. He began his successful career at the early age of 13 singing with Menudo, an all boy group.
Pablo Picasso: artist, painter. He completed his first painting, Le picador, at the age of 9 and his first academic painting at the age of 15.
Francisco Franco: dictator. He was born in El Ferrol and was a career soldier that rose his way through the ranks to become a leader.
Interesting facts about Spain for kids
72. The Bull is the national animal of Spain.
73. Spain also has the world’s oldest existing lighthouse — the Tower of Hercules. It was built in the first century and is operational still today.
74. Spain once ruled 21 countries that are independent today.
75. It is illegal to slander or defame Spain’s royal family. The punishment could lead to two years of imprisonment.
76. Spain is home to one of the oldest living languages in the world–Euskera.
77. Spain also has a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus.
78. Spain leads the world in regards to organ donation.
79. Did you know that Spain produces 43% of the world’s Olive? This fact makes the country, a leading producer of Olives in the world. It also produces saffron in large quantities.
80. A tooth belonging to human ancestors dating back to more than a million years was found in Spain in 2007.
81. The Eiffel Tower that is in Paris, France, was originally planned to be built in Barcelona, Spain.
82. Pyrenees, Sierra de Guadarrama, Sierra de Gredos, Sierra Nevada are the major mountains in Spain.
83. Rio Ebro with 910 km of length is the longest river in Spain.
84. Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Spain.
Some useful Spanish words:
- Buenos dias: Good day
- ¡Hola! Hello
- ¿Que tal? How are you?
- adios: bye bye
- gracias: thank you
- Te quiero: I love you
Want to learn Spanish? Visit this incredible resource here.
In conclusion, Spain is known for being one of the most diverse countries in the world. Not only is Spain filled with beautiful and amazing architecture, but it is known for also being filled with various types of art that go back in history.
Also, despite the controversies that have surrounded Spain in general over the past couple of years, Spain is still one of the top leaders in not only education, but also in political and education leaders. Furthermore, due to the variety in music and art, Spain is also a top contender for various music and art festivals.
About the flag of Spain
1. Design and Symbolism
The flag of Spain stands out with its bright colors and historical symbols. It has been serving the country for centuries, helping the navy and giving pride to the citizens across different regions.
It has red bars at the top and bottom, each occupying one-fourth of the banner height. The thicker middle bar has a yellow field, with the coat of arms of Spain near the hoist.
The emblem has a quartered shield containing the arms of Spanish kingdoms: Castile, Leon, Aragon, Navarre, and Granada. It also shows the fleur-de-lis symbol of the House of Bourbon, a European dynasty that produced French kings and the current Spanish royal family.
Meanwhile, the crest features the Spanish royal crown symbolizing the form of government: a constitutional monarchy. Unlike absolute monarchies, where the ruler is the only decision-maker, constitutional monarchies limit power within a legal framework.
On the left and right sides of the shield are the Pillars of Hercules, the ancient name given to the raised rock formations at the entrance of the Strait of Gibraltar. It connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Roman legend says that Hercules created this by smashing through a mountain.
Ancient people thought that the pillars were the edge of the world. They would say, “Nec Plus Ultra” (nothing more beyond). The discovery of the Americas changed this perspective. A ribbon with the motto “Plus Ultra” (Further Beyond) wraps around the pillars of the flag, calling for exploration past the strait. This mindset led to the global Spanish Empire.
2. Adoption
Spain first adopted the flag for naval and coastal use on May 15, 1785. The current version became the national flag on October 5, 1981. Antonio Valdes y Fernandez Bazan, a naval officer, made the design upon the request of King Charles III.
3. Technical Details
The flag dimensions follow a 2:3 ratio. The colors have HEX values of AD1519 for red and FABD00 for yellow.
4. History
In 1785, European powers frequently engaged in naval wars. Most used white flags that looked similar from afar. The confusion led to grave errors at sea. Charles III ordered his Minister of the Navy to create a distinctive design. Out of twelve sketches, the king chose a red-yellow-red triband. Although initially intended for warships and ports, the flag grew in popularity across the Spanish Empire.
In 1931, Republicans overthrew the monarchy. King Alfonso XIII went into exile. The new regime adopted a tricolor flag with red, yellow, and purple stripes. After the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalist government of General Francisco Franco used a red and yellow flag with the Eagle of Saint John.
Franco died in 1975. The royal family soon came back and installed King Juan Carlos I. In 1981, Spain adopted the current coat of arms and placed it on the national flag.
5. Unofficial Flag
In sporting events, fans often wave a version of the Spanish flag with a bull silhouette. The Osborne Bull started as an ad campaign for a wine company, but it is now considered a cultural icon in Spain.
Spain – the country at a glance
| Independence | 1492 |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Madrid (40°26′N 3°42′W) |
| Largest City | Madrid (40°26′N 3°42′W) |
| Area | total: 505,370 sq km land: 498,980 sq km water: 6,390 sq km |
| Population | 47,910,526 (2024 est.) |
| Literacy rate | total population: 98.6% (2020) |
| Demonym | Spanish, Spaniard |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Official Language | Spanish |
| Borders | Portugal, France, Andorra, Morocco and Gibraltar |
| Currency | Euro |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Life expectancy at birth | 83 Years (2024 est.) |
| Climate | temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast |
| Terrain | large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north |
| Mean elevation | 660 m |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean 0 m |
| Highest point | Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m |
| Natural resources | coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land |
| Agricultural land | 54.1% |
| Government type | parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Monarch | Felipe VI |
| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Birth rate | 7.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.) |
| Death rate | 10 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.) |
| National colors | red, yellow |
| National symbols | Pillars of Hercules |
| National day | National Day (Hispanic Day), 12 October (1492); note - commemorates COLUMBUS' arrival in the Americas |
| National anthem | "Himno Nacional Espanol" (National Anthem of Spain) |
| Industries | 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 |
| Exports | $615.83 billion (2023 est.) cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, vehicle parts/accessories (2022) |
| Imports | $550.576 billion (2023 est.) crude petroleum, natural gas, garments, cars, vehicle parts/accessories (2022) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $46,400 (2023 est.) |
| Internet country code | .es |
| Time Zone | CET (UTC+1) WET (UTC) Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) WEST (UTC+1) |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Calling Code | +34 |
| Table last updated | November 07, 2024 |