Important Information About Spain

A town in Spain

Spain is located between France and Portugal in Western Europe. It touches both the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, and is a melting pot of European, Middle Eastern and African cultures.

Money

Spain's currency is the euro. According to XE Currency Converter, as of September 2010, one euro is the equivalent of $1.27 in U.S. currency.

Religion

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain

While Spain does not have an official religion, Roman Catholicism has a strong influence on Spanish society. Nearly 75 percent of Spain's citizens are Catholic. According to Geoff Pingree of the "Christian Science Monitor," an estimated one million Muslims and two million Protestants also reside in Spain, as of 2004.

Climate

Spanish Coast

Central Spain has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, dry summers. In the Pyrenees Mountains to the northeast, temperatures are more moderate, and heavy rainfall is frequent. Along the Mediterranean coast, the weather is both milder and more humid than in central Spain.

Geography

Pyrenees Mountains

Spain has a high central plateau and narrow coastal planes. Its northeastern border with France is marked by the Pyrenees, and the Sierra Nevada mountain range lies in the south.

Government

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, ruled by H. M. King Juan Carlos in 2010. The prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, was reelected for a second term in March of 2008. As of 2010, he is under fire for indecisive handling of Spain's financial crisis, according to Rachel Donadio and Dale Fuchs of the "New York Times."

References

• Lonely Planet: Spain History
• XE: Universal Currency Converter
• U.S. Department of State: Background Note: Spain
• "New York Times": Spanish Premier Insists Economic Recovery is Near
• "Christian Science Monitor:" Secular Drive Challenges Spain's Catholic Identity

Resources

• Spain.info