SPAIN

Location: Southwest Europe

Capital: Madrid

Area: 505 990 km2

Population: 47 450 800

Official language: Spanish

Other spoken languages: English (mainly the younger people), Catalan, Basque (Euskera), and other local languages.

Ethnic groups: Spaniards, Catalan, Galicians, Andalucians, Valencians, Basques, Gypsy

Currency: EURO (1 USD = 0.86 EUR)

Basic facts: Spain is a democratic constitutional monarchy, now part of European Union.

Travel facts and tips:

• Spain is famous for many things, its best known symbols around the world are flamenco, bullfighting, paella, and others.
• Spain is the second largest country in Europe, and have been one of the world largest empires.
• Spain is also famous for its coastlines- on the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
• The highest mountain range in Spain is the second one after the Alps, called Sierra Nevada.
• Spain has thousands of years of history. And one of the biggest cultural mystery in the country is the Basque language, spoken by the Basque people, unrelated to any other languages in the world.

10 best destinations and routes in Spain:

Madrid: The capital and the largest city of Spain. A good starting point before exploring the country.

Barcelona: The second largest city in Spain, center of Catalonia. A seacoast resort, full of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Sierra Nevada: The highest mountain range in Spain, and the whole of the Iberian Peninsula.

Pyrenees: The second highest mountain range in Spain, shared with France as the connection of the Iberian Peninsula with the rest of the continent.

Basque Country: The land of the Basque people, presenting their unique culture and language.

Granada: One of the big cities in Andalusia, presenting a lot of culture and history, famous for the medieval site Alhambra.

Seville: The third largest city in Spain, center of Andalusia, presenting the culture and history of Southern Spain.

Galicia: The area of Spain with the Atlantic coastline. Presenting a great natural variety.

Balearic Islands: An archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea with great nature, beaches and sea resorts.

Canary Islands: An archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, presenting unique nature- volcanoes, desert-like beaches, unique flora and fauna. A world-famous resort area.