Climate

The northwestern and northern outskirts of the country are characterized by a temperate oceanic climate with heavy precipitation (1000-2000 mm per year), mild winters and warm summers. In coastal areas, the average temperature in January is 7--9°C, in July 18--20°C, in the mountains, especially in the Pyrenees, at an altitude of more than 2500 m, the temperatures in the winter months are negative, and in the summer - from 10 to 12°C. In the rest of Spain the climate is subtropical, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average temperature in January is from 4-5 °C on the Meseta plateau to 12-13 °C in the south, in July - from 23 to 29 °C, respectively. Subtropical regions differ mainly in the amount of precipitation and the duration of summer drought. The central, eastern and southeastern regions are particularly dry, where annual precipitation ranges from 300 mm (in some places from 200 mm) to 500 mm", while the western and southwestern regions, as well as mountainous areas, are more humid. In the Pyrenees there is insignificant glaciation ( The area of ​​glaciers is about 40 km2).

Inland waters

The rivers of most of Spain are predominantly rain-fed and have sharp seasonal fluctuations in flow with a maximum in winter and spring and a minimum in summer, when large rivers become very shallow and many small ones dry up. Only in the north and north-west are the rivers full throughout the year, with relatively uniform water flows across the seasons. In the Pyrenees, the Andalusian mountains and partly in the Central Cordillera, rain fed rivers are supplemented by snow. The largest rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin: Tagus, Duero, Guadiana, Guadalquivir. The Mediterranean basin includes pp. Ebro, Jucar, Segura. Most large rivers cross sections with rapids, which, along with their low water levels in summer, impede navigation. The rivers of northern Spain are used mainly for energy purposes, the rest - mainly for arts and irrigation (regulatory reservoirs have been created on many rivers). The lakes are small, located mainly in the mountains.

Spain is a state with sharp contrasts both in relief and in climatic conditions and in the landscape. This is where its uniqueness lies.

The Iberian Peninsula is part of the Eurasian continent, where the magnificent is located. It is an amazingly beautiful country with a pleasant warm climate, rich history and varied topography throughout the territory. This corner of the earth cannot leave any traveler indifferent. The mountains in Spain are especially beautiful. We will dwell on them in more detail in this article.

The peninsula is located at the junction of Africa and Europe, the vast Mediterranean and the endless waters of the Atlantic Ocean. All this left its indelible mark and created the current unique appearance of Spain.

Features of landscapes

Before we find out the name of the mountains of Spain, we will first provide general information about the natural features of these places.

This is an area of ​​​​beautiful sandy beaches of the Mediterranean coastal zone and evergreen meadows of the Atlantic coast. There are also vast stretches of snow-capped peaks called the Sierra Nevada, the forbidding Pyrenees and the fertile plains of Andalusia. In all this - in the diversity of natural landscapes - lies the originality, uniqueness and beauty of this wonderful region.

Mountains

In Spain, the average height of the relief surface ranges from 660 meters. This is one of the most in Europe (not counting Switzerland), since the largest area (90%) is a system of high-mountain plateaus and mountain ranges.

The largest plateau in Europe, called the Meseta, occupies half of the territory of Spain.

In terms of area, the largest is the Iberian Mountains massif (more than 40,000 sq. m).

The Central Cordillera is the longest in length (700 km), followed by the Cordillera Betica and the Cantabrian Mountains (600 km each).

The highest range (the highest in Spain), located in the Cordillera-Betica system, is the Sierra Nevada with the largest peak, Mulacén, rising to 3,478 meters.

The Pyrenees are the most inaccessible mountains.

Below we will dwell in more detail on the features of the peculiar relief of Spain.

Meseta Plateau

Meseta is the oldest remnant Hercynian highland, occupying the western and central parts of the peninsula. It is inclined to the southwest with a gradual decrease towards the ocean. The western part is represented by many river avalanches and tectonic faults, in the east the surface is smoother.

The plateau is literally bordered on all sides, except the western side, by mountains, and at its foot there are also higher, flat surfaces (at an altitude of up to 1100 meters).

Central Cordillera

The mountains in Spain are special. The Cordillera Central mountain system divides the Meseta into northern and southern parts. The Northern Meseta is Old Castile (historical region), the Southern Meseta is New Castile (the core of the Spanish state).

The main ranges of the Cordillera Central: Sierra de Guadarrama, Gatos, Gredos, Estrella.

To the south of the last ridge at an altitude of 648 meters is the city of Madrid, which is one of the highest capitals in Europe.

The highest point of the Cordillera system is Plaza del Moro Almanzor (2,592 meters), located on the Sierra de Gredos (ridge). It is also the highest point of the Cordillera Central.

Pyrenees

The Cantabrian Mountains in Spain are a continuation of the highest and most powerful mountain system of this state - the Pyrenees. They represent several ridges located parallel to each other from west to east (length 450 kilometers).

The Pyrenees is a kind of border between Spain and France. In general, this system occupies territories in France, Spain and the Principality of Andorra. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea. The southern slope is the largest international center of mountain tourism.

Although the average height of the Pyrenees is 2,500 m, these mountains have several convenient passes up to 2,000 meters high. Four railways pass through them.

The main peak, with a height of 3405 meters, is Aneto Peak. This is the highest mountain in Spain in the Pyrenees.

In conclusion - about the most mysterious mountain of Montserrat

An important spiritual symbol of Catalonia is (translated as “jagged” or “cut mountain”). It is located fifty kilometers from the city of Barcelona, ​​from where it remains half the way to the Pyrenees.

Once upon a time, there was a sea here that stretched for hundreds of thousands of leagues. Subsequently, the seabed rose and turned into a mountain range, from which Montserrat separated.

This is a rather unusual and mysterious mountain, on which amazing frozen stone figures appear every now and then.

The height of Montserrat is 1236 meters. Moreover, in clear weather its peak is visible from afar. But if clouds appear in the sky, the mountain, like a ghost, disappears into the fog. And the clouds seem to cling to huge boulders of stone.

This mountain enchants with its powerful slopes, mysterious caves, and narrow passages. She has repeatedly been a source of inspiration for musicians, poets and artists.

Country Brazil.1) In what part of the continent is the country located. What is the name of its capital. 2) What are the features of the relief (the general nature of the surface, the main

shapes and height distribution). Mineral resources of the country. 3) What are the climatic conditions in different parts of the country (climatic zones, average temperatures in July and January, annual precipitation.) What are the differences by territory and by season? 4) What large rivers and lakes are located. 5) What natural zones are represented. What are their main features. 6) What peoples inhabit the country. What are their main activities?

Please, I beg you! Help, urgently! We need to perform a comparative description of the relief, geological structure and minerals

East European (Russian) and West Siberian plains. According to plan:
1. Where is the territory located. 2. What tectonic structure is it confined to? 3. What age rocks make up the territory. 4. Average, minimum and maximum heights of the territory. 5. Reasons for their location. 6. What external processes participated and are participating in the formation of the relief. 6. What forms of relief are created by this or that process. 7. Their placement. 8. What minerals are there in this territory. 9. How can we explain their presence here. 10. What natural phenomena are associated with the features of the relief, as well as with tectonics and geological structure. 11. Measures to combat them are possible.
I’m not asking you to write everything to me, at least you’ll help me a little! Thank you very much for your help in advance! ((((

Describe North America according to plan: 1. In what part of the continent is the country located? What is the name of its capital? 2. Features of the relief (general nature of the surface

features, main landforms and elevation distribution). Mineral resources of the country. 4. Climatic conditions in different parts of the country (climatic zones, average temperatures in July and January, annual precipitation). Differences by territory and by season. 5. Large rivers and lakes. 6. Natural areas and their main features 7. Peoples inhabiting the country. Their main activities

1. What maps should be used when describing a country? 2. In what part of the continent is the country located? What is the name of its capital? 3. Relief features

(general character of the surface, main forms of relief and distribution of heights). Mineral resources of the country. 4. Climatic conditions in different parts of the country (climatic zones, average temperatures in July and January, annual precipitation). Differences by territory and by season. 5. Large rivers and lakes. 6. Natural areas and their main features. 7. Peoples inhabiting the country. Their main activities

Spain is one of the most elevated countries in Europe - mountains occupy more than 90% of its territory.

Along the northern border, from the Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea, stretches an extensive system of young Pyrenees mountains (the highest point is Mount Aneto, 3404 m). The ridges of the Pyrenees, stretching from west to east almost parallel to each other, are not very high (on average 2500 m), but their relief is very complex, there are many gorges and rock walls (among them is one of the highest cliffs in Europe - Governy, or Juverny, which has a height of about 1200 m, and the waterfall of the same name 800 m high), steep cliffs and impassable valleys. Many peaks are covered with snow all year round, which often covers the few passes - the weather here is very changeable. The Western Pyrenees is one of the greenest regions of Spain - about 1,200 species of higher plants grow here, with mountain forests climbing to a height of more than 2,400 meters. The eastern part is slightly poorer, but also has many rare species of flora and fauna.

Between the eastern Pyrenees and the Iberian Mountains stretch the low Catalan Mountains, the southeastern slopes of which drop off into the Mediterranean Sea. The Catalan Mountains (average heights 900-1200 m, peak - Mount Montseny, 1712 m) run for 400 km almost parallel to the sea coast and actually separate the elevated Aragonese plateau from it. The coastal plains developed in Murcia, Valencia and Catalonia, north of Cape Palos and to the French border, are highly fertile, but the mountains themselves are dry and have little natural diversity.

Almost the entire central part of Spain is occupied by the ancient and highly dissected Meseta plateau (here is the highest point of the mainland of the country - Mount Mulacen, 3478 m) with a whole system of accompanying mountain ranges. This, the largest elevated plateau in Europe by area, has on average a rather insignificant height (about 660 m), but is literally replete with various plateaus (Torcal de Antequera, Ciudad Encantada, Old Castilian and New Castilian, etc.), folded-block ridges, deep river valleys and intermountain basins. In addition, numerous ridges divide the Meseta into several large massifs - the Cordillera Central divides it into northern and southern parts, the Sierra Morena, Sierra Nevada and Cordillera Betica are fenced off from the south, the Cordillera Subbetica - from the southeast, the Iberian and Cantabrian mountains , as well as the Picos de Europa massif (2648 m) - from the northeast and north.

In total, the Meseta has more than 70 mountain ranges, which turns its topography into a complex system of mountains, hills, plateaus and plains, occupying more than half of Spain's territory. Moreover, the Cordillera-Betica mountain system is considered the second highest in Europe, second only to the Alps, and Mount Mulacén (Sierra Nevada) is the southernmost part of Europe (37 degrees north latitude!), where snow remains in the summer. The Meseta's vegetation is mostly dry Mediterranean, with many rocky heaths in the mountains and agricultural areas in the valleys and lower slopes.

In the south of the country, between the Andalusian mountains, the Sierra Morena and the Atlantic coast, stretches the only large lowland of the country - the Andalusian. Here, in the area of ​​the old foothill trough, the largest river in the country, the Guadalquivir, flows, forming a plain gradually expanding to the west. Almost all of it, like other relatively large valleys of the country (Duero, Guadiana, Miño, Tagus, Aragonese Basin and Ebro Valley), is occupied by wheat, citrus fruits, olives, cork oak and vineyards. With such large rivers at first glance, the country experiences a fairly severe shortage of water, especially noticeable in recent years.

The Balearic archipelago and the adjacent Pitius Islands are an ancient part of the Iberian Peninsula, separated from it by the subsidence of part of the seabed. In fact, this is a continuation of the Beta Mountains, which, due to isolation from the mainland, remained exactly as the entire territory of modern Spain was before the beginning of the era of Alpine folding. It is dominated by lowland and hilly plains. The Trumuntana mountain range, up to 1,445 meters high, stretches across the northwestern part of Mallorca, and the south is occupied by the dry and rocky Migjorn zone. Menorca is a low (up to 358 m) plateau, with steep ledges plunging towards the sea. The shores are replete with bays, and there are many karst formations in the elevated areas. The vegetation is Mediterranean, with a large number of evergreen shrubs and dry grasses, but on most islands it is greatly modified by humans.

The Canary Islands are one of the most naturally unusual areas in the world. The islands are of volcanic origin and represent a group of ancient volcanoes rising above the surface of the water. Moreover, due to different ages and morphologies, you can find here almost all forms of the volcanic landscape of the planet - lifeless lava and tuff fields, black gorges and “volcanic pipes”, dilapidated calderas of old volcanoes and high cones of young ones, with which the green slopes of fertile valleys contrast brightly. On the island of Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain - the Teide volcano (3718 m), and the adjacent Pico Viejo (3103 m) is the fourth highest in the country. And at the same time, the local mountains are constantly “growing”. In total, there are more than 640 volcanoes in the Canary Islands (there are more than 300 on Lanzarote alone!), and some of them are active. And on the island of Palma, a vast rock massif up to 2423 meters high surrounds the largest volcanic crater on the planet - the De Taburiente caldera (La Caldera).

In terms of their biology, the Canary Islands can easily be considered the most unique region of the country - almost half of the plants growing here are not found anywhere else on Earth, and a third of them are represented by ancient relict forms that became extinct in other regions of the planet many millions of years ago. On the slopes of Teide alone you can find no less than five zones of vegetation, and the total diversity of species here reaches 400! The composition of the fauna is much more modest, which is not surprising - the nearest mainland coast is 115 km away. However, even those few species of animals that inhabit the archipelago are of great interest to science and tourists.

With its capital in the city of Madrid. Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. According to one version, the name of the country comes from the Phoenician expression “i-shpanim” - “shore of rabbits”. Occupies 4/5 of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary and Balearic Islands with a total area of ​​504,782 km² (together with small sovereign territories on the African coast, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla), being the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France. The average surface altitude of Spain is 650 meters above sea level. The country is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.

Physiographic characteristics

Relief

The relief of Spain is very diverse. The center of the country is located 300 kilometers from the sea. The dominant role in the relief is played by systems of mountain ranges and high-mountain plateaus.

Plateaus and mountains make up about 90 percent of its territory. Almost half of the country's surface is occupied by the vast Meseta plateau, the highest in Europe - with an average height of 660 meters. It is distinguished by alternating plateaus, folded-block ridges and mountain basins. The Cordillera Central divides the Meseta into two parts: northern and southern.

The Pyrenees are several parallel ridges stretching from west to east for 450 kilometers. This is one of the most inaccessible mountainous countries in Europe. Although their average height is not very high (just over 2500 meters), they have only a few conveniently located passes. All passes are at an altitude of 1500-2000 m. Therefore, only four railways go from Spain to France: two of them bypass the Pyrenees along the coast from the north-west and south-east, and two more railways cross the Pyrenees in the sections Aerbe - Oloron - Sainte-Marie and Ripoll - Prades, through a tunnel system. The widest and highest part of the mountains is the central one. Here is their main peak - Aneto Peak, reaching 3405 meters.

From the northeast, the Meseta is adjacent to the Iberian Mountains system, the maximum height (Mont Cayo peak) is 2313 meters.

Between the eastern Pyrenees and the Iberian Mountains stretch the low Catalan Mountains, the southern slopes of which drop off into the Mediterranean Sea. The Catalan Mountains (average heights 900-1200 meters, peak - Mount Caro, 1447 meters) run for 400 kilometers almost parallel to the Mediterranean coast and actually separate the Aragonese plateau from it. The areas of coastal plains developed in Murcia, Valencia and Catalonia north of Cape Palos to the French border are highly fertile.

The entire southeast of the Iberian Peninsula is occupied by the Cordillera Betica, which is a system of massifs and ridges. Its crystalline axis is the Sierra Nevada mountains. In height they are second only to the Alps in Europe. Their summit, Mount Mulacén, reaching 3,478 meters, is the highest point in peninsular Spain. However, the highest mountain peak in Spain is located on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands) - the Teide volcano, whose height reaches 3718 meters.

Most of Spain's territory is located at an altitude of about 700 meters above sea level. It is the second highest country in Europe after Switzerland.

The only large lowland - the Andalusian - is located in the south of the country. In the northeast of Spain in the river valley. The Ebro is the Aragonese plain. Smaller lowlands stretch along the Mediterranean Sea. One of the main rivers of Spain (and the only navigable one in the lower reaches) flows through the Andalusian lowland - Guadalquivir. The remaining rivers, including the largest: Tagus and Duero, the lower reaches of which are located in neighboring Portugal, Ebro, Guadiana, are characterized by sharp seasonal fluctuations in level and rapid flow.

Large areas of the country suffer from water shortages. Related to this is the problem of erosion - millions of tons of topsoil are blown away every year.

Climate

Spain is one of the warmest countries in Western Europe. The average number of sunny days is 260-285. The average annual temperature on the Mediterranean coast is 20 degrees Celsius. In winter, temperatures usually drop below zero only in the central and northern regions of the country. In summer, temperatures rise to 40 degrees and above (from the central part to the southern coast). On the northern coast the temperature is not so high - about 25 degrees Celsius.

Spain is characterized by very deep internal climatic differences, and it can only conditionally be entirely attributed to the Mediterranean climatic region. These differences are manifested both in temperature and in annual amounts and precipitation patterns.

On extreme northwest The climate is mild and humid with little temperature variation throughout the year and high rainfall. Constant winds from the Atlantic bring a lot of moisture, mainly in winter, when foggy and cloudy weather prevails with drizzling rain, almost without frost and snow. The average temperature of the coldest month is the same as in northwestern France. Summers are hot and humid, with average temperatures rarely below 16 degrees Celsius. Annual precipitation exceeds 1070 mm, and in some places reaches 2000 mm.

Completely different conditions in internal parts countries - on the plateau of Old and New Castile and the Aragonese plain. These areas are influenced by the plateau-basin topography, significant altitude and local continental air. They are characterized by relatively low precipitation (no more than 500 mm per year) and sharp temperature fluctuations between seasons. In Old Castile and the Aragonese plain there are quite cold winters with frosts and strong, sharp winds; Summers are hot and fairly dry, although maximum precipitation occurs during this season of the year. Nueva Castile has a slightly milder climate, with warmer winters but also low rainfall. Agriculture in all these areas requires artificial irrigation.

The soil

In northwestern Spain, brown forest soil is developed on the coastal plains and windward slopes of the mountains. The interior regions of the country - Old and New Castile, the Iberian Mountains and the Aragonese Plateau - are characterized by brown soil; in the driest treeless areas there is thin carbonate gray-brown soil with areas of salt marshes in relief depressions. Gray soils are developed in the arid landscapes of Murcia. They are non-gypsum-bearing and non-saline; when irrigated, they produce high yields of fruit and other crops. The heavy clay barros soil on the flat ancient alluvial plains is distinguished, especially favorable for the cultivation of rice.

Flora and fauna

The variety of climatic conditions - from humid in the north to arid in the south - determines the heterogeneity of the flora and vegetation of Spain. The north shows similarities with Central Europe, and the south with Africa. Traces of forest vegetation in Murcia, La Mancha and Granada indicate that in the past a significant part of the territory of Spain was afforested, but now forests and woodlands occupy only 30% of the country's area, with only 5% being full-fledged closed stands.

Evergreen oak forests grow in the north-west of the country. Mountain forests have more deciduous oak species, along with beech, ash, birch and chestnut, which is typical of Central Europe. In the interior of Spain, small tracts of dry evergreen forests, dominated by oak, interspersed with pine forests and shrubs, have been preserved in some places. In the driest areas of New Castile, the Aragonese plateau and Murcia, fragments of semi-deserts (usually on salt marshes) are found.

In those areas of Southern Spain where there is more rainfall, especially along the coast, typical Mediterranean shrub-herbaceous communities of the garrigue and tomillara type are present. Garrigue is characterized by the participation of local species of gorse and cornflowers, while tomillara is characterized by the presence of aromatic Lamiaceae (shrub species of thyme, rosemary, etc.), as well as cistus. A special variety of garrigue consists of scattered thickets of the dwarf fan palm, very characteristic of Andalusia, as well as communities dominated by tall alpha grass, or esparto, a hardy xerophyte that produces strong fiber.

Central European and African connections are evident in the fauna of Spain. Among European species, two varieties of brown bear (the large Asturian and smaller, black, found in the Pyrenees), lynx, wolf, fox, and wildcat deserve mention. There are deer, hares, squirrels and moles. The imperial eagle is found in Spain and North Africa, and the blue magpie, found on the Iberian Peninsula, has also been found in East Asia. On both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar there are genets, Egyptian mongooses and one species of chameleon.

Minerals

Minerals of Spain: The subsoil of Spain is replete with minerals. Particularly significant are the reserves of metal ores, the deposits of which are associated with the outcrops of the folded base of the Meseta or with volcanic rocks of mountain structures. Along the northwestern edge of the Meseta, within the Gallic massif, there are tin, tungsten and uranium ores in Caledonian and Proterozoic granite intrusions. A strip of lead-zinc-silver deposits stretches along the southern outskirts of Meseta. There is also a large deposit of mercury of global importance - Almaden. Iron ores are found in the north and south of Spain. They are confined to the structures of the Mesozoic and Alpine magmatic cycles. These are well-known deposits in the Bilbao region on the northern slope of the Biscay Mountains and in Almeria on the southern slope of the Beta Cordillera. In the north, in the Carboniferous deposits that fill the foothill depression of the Asturian Mountains, there is the largest coal basin in the country. In addition, there are small deposits of coal on the southern slope of the mountains and in some other areas. The Cenozoic sediments of intermountain and intramountain depressions contain strata of salts and brown coal. Significant reserves of potassium salts are located within the Ebro Plain.

It is worth noting, however, that most of the mineral deposits in the country are very modest in size and are quite depleted, like many deposits in other European regions, which makes Spain dependent on the import of minerals, mainly from North Africa.

Economy

Airports in Spain are subordinated to the public organization Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (Aena)), which in turn is subordinate to the Ministry of Development (Ministerio de Fomento de España). According to the Catalan Autonomy Law of 2006, three Catalan airports were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Generalitat of Catalonia, which manages them jointly with the public organization Aerocat. With 50.8 million passengers in 2008, Madrid Airport (Barajas) is one of the busiest airports in the world. Barcelona Airport (El Prat) served 30 million passengers in 2008. Less busy airports are in Gran Canaria, Malaga, Valencia, Seville, Mallorca, Alicante and Bilbao.

Spanish airlines are: Air Europa, Air Nostrum, Air Pullmantur, Binter Canarias, Iberia LAE, Iberworld, Islas Airways, Spanair, Vueling Airlines.

Spain aims to have a million electric vehicles by 2014 as part of the government's plan to save energy and improve the environment.

Light industry

Food industry

In the food industry, winemaking stands out (Spain is second only to France and Italy in the production of grape wines in Europe), the production of vegetable oil (1.7 million tons in 1996; Spain is the world leader in the production of olive oil (about 0.5 million tons per year ), fruits and vegetables and canned fish. Spain is one of the top ten global producers of cars, ships, forging equipment and gas compressors, machine tools, petroleum products and chemical goods. Half of industrial production is concentrated in the northeast (Catalonia), the north of the country (Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country) and in Greater Madrid.

Agriculture

The leading branch of agriculture is crop production (provides over 1/2 of the cost of production). They grow wheat (about 20% of the sown area), barley, corn (in the central and southern regions of the country), rice (on the irrigated lands of the Mediterranean coast; its yield in Spain is one of the highest in the world), potatoes and sugar beets, legumes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplants and other vegetables (vegetables occupy 60% of the cultivated area), olives - (the leading place for growing olives in the world) - (Andalusia, Castile-la-Mancha, Extremadura), citrus fruits and tobacco. Viticulture - on the Mediterranean coast and in the regions of Castile-la-Mancha, Extremadura. In the very south of the country, almonds (the leading export destination in Western Europe), dates and sugar cane (in Europe they grow only in Spain), figs, pomegranates, and cotton are grown.

Fishing

Spain is one of the top ten countries in the world in catching fish and seafood (1.1 million tons in 1996) and processing it, and is a major exporter of fresh fish and canned fish.

The bulk of the fishing takes place off the coast of the Basque Country and Galicia. The most commonly caught fish are sardines, hake, mackerel, anchovies and cod. Every year, 20-25% of the total catch is processed into canned food.

Banking sector

Spanish banks need recapitalization in the amount of 59.3 billion euros, according to the results of stress tests posted on the website of the Spanish central bank. The financial crisis in Spain led to an explosion of separatism. The economic crisis in Spain is gradually beginning to develop into a political one. On the one hand, regions with their extremely weak banks need help from the national government. On the other hand, some territories, in particular Catalonia, believe that without the guiding and guiding hand of Madrid they would feel much better.

The crisis was not limited only to the financial sphere. Property prices fell, which in turn increased unemployment. Spanish construction company Martinsa-Fadesa has declared bankruptcy after failing to refinance its €5.1 billion debt. In the second quarter, property prices in Spain fell by 20%. In the Castile-La Mancha region, approximately 69% of all buildings built in the past three years are still unsold. Deutsche Bank expects a 35 percent fall in property prices in Spain by 2011. Spain's Prime Minister, José Luis Zapatero, blamed the European Central Bank for exacerbating the situation by raising interest rates.

Population

Dynamics of population changes:

• city ​​- 6.5 million people;
• city ​​- 4.5 million people;
• city ​​- 6 million people;
• city ​​- 11.3 million people;
• city ​​- 6.2 million people;
• city ​​- 11.55 million people;
• city ​​- 18.6 million people;
• city ​​- 24.1 million people;
• city ​​- 29.9 million people;
• city ​​- 36.3 million people;
• city ​​- 45.97 million people.

The population of Spain is 46.16 million people (October 2011).

According to genetic research conducted by the University of Leeds in 2008, 20% of the modern population of Spain has Jewish ancestry, and 11% have Arab and Berber ancestry.

Story

On the southwestern coast of Iberia, a culture emerged in the Bronze Age, from which at the end of the 2nd millennium the Tartessian civilization was formed, which traded metal with the Phoenicians. After the depletion of the mines, Tartessus fell into disrepair.

Along the eastern coast of Spain in the 3rd millennium BC. e. Iberian tribes appeared; some hypotheses connect their ancestral home to North Africa. From these tribes comes the ancient name of the peninsula - Iberian. In the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e. The Iberians began to settle in fortified villages in what is now Castile. The Iberians were mainly engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and hunting, and knew how to make tools from copper and bronze. The Iberians used the Paleo-Spanish script created earlier by the Tartessians. The Iberian language was not related to Tartessian.

There is Roman evidence that Ligurians previously lived in Spain, but nothing is known about their existence in the historical period.

In the late Bronze Age, the culture of the urn fields (a remnant of which in the historical period were probably the Lusitanians) penetrated into Iberia, and at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Most of Iberia is colonized by Celtic tribes. Some of the Celts who lived in the neighborhood of the Iberians, falling under their influence, created the Celtiberian culture; the Celts who lived in the western part maintained a relatively conservative way of life and were unliterate. The Celts of Iberia became famous as warriors. It was they who invented the double-edged sword, which later became the standard weapon of the Roman army and was used against its own inventors.

XX century

XXI Century

In March 2004, 13 explosions rocked the Atocha train station in Madrid, killing 191 people and injuring 2,050. This terrorist attack was organized by an underground Islamist organization that followed the ideology of Al-Qaeda. The explosions occurred three days before the parliamentary elections and were terrorists' response to the participation of the Spanish military in a military operation in Iraq. Most Spaniards blamed the attacks on the government of Prime Minister José Maria Aznar, which sent Spanish troops to support the US and UK. The Aznar government made this decision unilaterally, without coordinating it with the parliament (Cortes) and despite massive protests from civil society, which demonstrated in thousands of demonstrations against the participation of the Spanish army in the war. In addition, mass public surveys conducted by a government agency indicated that about 80% of the country's population was against Spain's entry into the war. Aznar's People's Party lost the elections on March 14, 2004.

At the beginning of 2004, the new socialist government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero made a sharp turn in Spanish foreign policy: from supporting the US course to solidarity with most EU countries. After winning the elections on March 14, 2004, the Socialist government withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq, thus fulfilling an important point in the electoral program of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). In the subsequent parliamentary elections held in 2008, the PSOE won again. New parliamentary elections in Spain took place on November 20, 2011.

In 2005, same-sex marriage was legalized in Spain. Thus, Spain became the third state in the world, after Holland and Belgium, to recognize the legal equality of marriages regardless of the gender of the spouses. Same-sex marriage is now recognized in many countries, as well as in some US states.

One of the problems of modern Spain is the problem of immigration. Mostly, residents of the Maghreb and Latin American countries come to Spain. At the beginning of the new century, there were an estimated 2.5 million Latin Americans in the EU countries, 800 thousand of whom were in Spain. However, after the terrorist attacks of 2004, the attitude of the Spaniards towards immigrants changed significantly.

Political structure

Administrative division

50 provinces included in 17 autonomous regions. Also within Spain are 2 so-called autonomous cities (ciudades autónomas) in Africa - Ceuta, Melilla and sovereign territories of Spain.

Andalusia (Spanish) Andalucía) Aragon (Spanish) Aragon) Asturias (Spanish) Principado de Asturias) Balearic Islands (Spanish) Islas Baleares, cat. Illes Balears) Basque Country (Spanish) Pais Vasco, Basque Euskadi) Valencia (Spanish) Comunidad Valenciana) Galicia (Spanish) Galicia, galis. Galiza) Canary Islands (Spanish) Islas Canarias) Cantabria (Spanish) Cantabria) Castile - La Mancha (Spanish) Castilla-La Mancha) Castile and Leon (Spanish) Castilla y Leon) Catalonia (Spanish) Cataluña, cat. Catalunya) Madrid (as an autonomous region) (Spanish) Madrid) Murcia (Spanish) Region of Murcia) Navarre (Spanish) Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) Rioja (Spanish) La Rioja) Extremadura (Spanish) Extremadura)

Cities

The largest cities in Spain are:

Culture

Spain is rightfully considered an open-air museum. The vast expanses of this country carefully preserve cultural and historical monuments that have worldwide fame.

The most famous museum in Spain, the Prado Museum, is located in Madrid. Its extensive exhibition cannot be seen in one day. The museum was founded by Isabella of Braganza, wife of King Ferdinand VII. The Prado has its own branch, located in Cason del Buen Retiro and storing unique collections of Spanish painting and sculpture of the 19th century, as well as works by English and French painters. The museum itself presents large exhibitions of Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Flemish and German art. The Prado owes its name to the Prado de San Jeronimo alley, where it is located, laid out during the Age of Enlightenment. Currently, the Prado Museum's holdings include 6,000 paintings, more than 400 sculptures, as well as numerous jewelry, including royal and religious collections. Over the course of several centuries of its existence, the Prado was patronized by many kings.

It is believed that the very first collection of the Prado Museum was formed under Charles I, known as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. His heir, King Philip II, became famous not only for his bad character and despotism, but also for his love of art. It is to him that the museum owes its priceless acquisitions of paintings by Flemish masters. Philip was distinguished by his gloomy worldview; it is not surprising that the ruler was a fan of Bosch, an artist known for his bizarre, pessimistic fantasy. Philip initially purchased Bosch's paintings for Escorial, the ancestral castle of the Spanish kings. It was only in the 19th century that the paintings were moved to the Prado Museum. Now here you can see such masterpieces of the Dutch master as “The Garden of Delights” and “The Hay Wain”. Currently, in the museum you can enjoy not only paintings and sculptures, but also theatrical performances designed to “revive” famous paintings. The first such staging was dedicated to the paintings of Velazquez and was a huge success with the public.

There are many more unique museums and galleries in Spain: the Picasso Museum and the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, located in Barcelona, ​​the National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid, the El Greco Museum in Toledo, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art in Cuenca.

Spanish cuisine

Sport

The main sport in Spain has been football since the beginning of the 20th century. Basketball, tennis, cycling, handball, motorsports and, more recently, Formula One are also important due to the presence of Spanish champions in all of these disciplines. Today Spain is a leading world sports power; the development of sports in the country was particularly stimulated by the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. In 2008, Spain won the European Football Championship, and in 2010, they won the FIFA World Cup. In 2012, Spain won the European Football Championship over Italy with a score of 4:0.
In general, in the 2000s, the Spanish national teams won the World and European Championships in almost all team sports: football, basketball, water polo, field hockey, roller hockey, handball, volleyball and the Davis Cup in tennis.

It is also worth noting that the Real Madrid football club is officially recognized as the best club in the world of the 20th century.

Armed forces

The new doctrine 1/2004 declares terrorism to be the main enemy of Spain (both external and internal). It is noted that from now on, Spanish troops will be able to take part in international peacekeeping actions directly approved by the UN or, as was the case in Kosovo, enjoying the obvious support of the world community. In addition, participation in hostilities will require permission from the Spanish Parliament.

In the new military doctrine, the role of the General Defense Staff JEMAD, headed by General Felix Sanz, has been increased. At the end of October 2004, he made a statement about the need to “balance” the unequal relations between Spain and the United States, formed after 1953, when Spain and the United States signed a military defense cooperation agreement, under which the United States received the right to use several large military bases in Spain.

In 2001, Spain abolished conscription and switched to a completely professional army.

Spain has no laws prohibiting openly gay and lesbian people from serving in the armed forces. On March 4, 2009, Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacón (the first woman to hold this post) issued a decree repealing a previous law that prohibited transgender people from serving in the armed forces.

Spanish foreign policy

The preamble of the Spanish Constitution proclaims its readiness to “cooperate in strengthening peaceful relations and cooperation with all countries of the world.” Currently, Spain's foreign policy is mainly based on three directions: Europe (especially the EU), the Ibero-American direction, and the Mediterranean countries.

Today Spain has diplomatic relations with all UN countries. More recently, Spain has relations with Bhutan (since October 2010), South Sudan (after its independence from Sudan in July 2011) and the state of Karibati (since September 2011).

On April 12, 1994, the “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Spain” was signed. Currently, bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Spain have an extensive legal framework: the basis for interaction in various areas is formed by more than 50 treaties, agreements, protocols and other documents.

Morocco

Morocco occupies one of the key places in Spanish foreign policy, for which the Moroccan Kingdom is the most important African partner, if only due to its territorial proximity. The main directions of Spanish policy in Morocco are: issues related to the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, the unresolved problem with Western Sahara, problems of illegal migration, issues of stopping drug smuggling, etc.

Relations between Spain and the Maghreb countries began to develop most actively after the Socialist Party came to power in Spain in 1982.

Under the government of the People's Party, led by Prime Minister J. M. Aznar, who were in power from 1996 to 2004, relations could not be called good and were characterized rather by instability, in particular the conflict around the island of Perejil (Leila) occupies a prominent place. in 2002.

The Socialists, who returned to power in April 2004 under the leadership of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, were determined to improve relations with their neighbors and especially with Morocco. After the meeting between Mohamed VI and Juan Carlos in 2005, relations between the two monarchs improved markedly. The conflict in Western Sahara, which arose quite a long time ago, has always had an adverse impact on relations between the two countries. After the failed quadripartite conference, Morocco authorized the Green March on Western Sahara in 1975 with the goal of "cleansing" Western Sahara from Spain. The result was an agreement between Spain, Mauritania and Morocco to transfer temporary control of the Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania.

An important component of relations between the two countries are close economic ties. In 1995, the Moroccan government decides to put everything on foreign investors, the most important of which are Spain and France.

Peacekeeping missions

The Spanish armed forces, consisting of 3,000 people, took part in 5 peacekeeping missions of the EU, NATO, and the UN. These missions are: International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan; EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina; KFOR in Kosovo; FINUL to Lebanon and the UN mission to Darfur (Chad).

Various questions

Transport in Spain

The length of roads is 328,000 km. Car park - more than 19 million cars. 90% of passenger and 79% of cargo transportation is carried out by road. The length of railways is 14,589 km. About 6.5% of all ground transport cargo and 6% of passengers are transported.

About 300 vessels with a total displacement of 1.511 million tons are involved in maritime transport. Vessels flying Spanish flags transport over 30 million tons of foreign trade cargo annually. 24 seaports control almost 93% of all traffic.

Air transport takes the leading place. Of the 42 airports, 34 provide regular flights. 56 million passengers pass through Madrid International Airport every year. The airport in Barcelona serves about 30 million passengers annually.

Education in Spain

Spain has a system of compulsory free secondary education from 6 to 16 years of age. About 70% study in public schools, 96.5% study in state universities.

The largest universities in the country: Autonomous University of Madrid, Complutense (in Madrid), Barcelona Central and Autonomous, Santiago de Compostea, Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Media in Spain

Spain has a well-developed media network. 137 newspapers and about 1000 magazines are published. The most read daily newspapers: Pais, Mundo, Vanguardia, ABC, Periodico, Marka. Magazines for women "Patrones", Labores del HOGAR, Moda.

The leading radio stations are SER, COPE, Radio Nacional de España (RNE). The international department of Spanish National Radio, known as Radio Exterior de España, broadcasts in Spanish and six foreign languages. The Russian service for Spanish foreign broadcasting has been operating (with a short break) since the times of Franco, but is less known than similar broadcasters in Russian from the USA, Germany, and France.

The largest TV channels: TVE (covers the entire country), private studios Telesinko and Antena 3, as well as the 24-hour news channel Canal 24 Horas, broadcasting all over the world. Autonomous communities have their own regional television, broadcasting also in national languages.

Siesta in Spain

Crime in Spain

In recent years, the proportion of immigrants among Spanish offenders has gradually increased. This is due to increased immigration to Spain (including illegal) from African countries, as well as from Latin America. Among the latter, two gangs from the Dominican Republic were especially active: Dominicans Don't Play ("Dominicans don't joke") and Trinitarios ("Trinitarians" - named after the underground organization "La Trinitaria", which fought for the independence of the Dominican Republic from Haiti in 1838 ) .

Real estate market in Spain

The average cost per square meter in Spain for the 1st trimester of 2011 is 1777.6 euros (1793.8 euros - new construction; 1764.8 euros - second-hand). Highest prices (in €/m²): San Sebastian - 3762.3; San Cugat del Valles - 3282.6; Getcho - 3224.3; Barcelona - 3103.5; Pozuelo de Alarcon - 2964.0; Madrid - 2921.0.

The main real estate in Spain are villas, apartments and apartments. At the moment, buying real estate in Spain has become more profitable, since on August 20, 2011, the Spanish government temporarily changed the tax - VAT on the purchase of new housing from 8% to 4%.

Telecommunications in Spain

In astronomy

The asteroid (804) Spain, discovered on March 20, 1915 by Spanish astronomer José Comas Sola at the Fabre Observatory in Barcelona, ​​is named after Spain. It was the first asteroid discovered from Spain.

see also

	Portal "Spain"
	Spain in Wiktionary
	in Wikisource
	Spain on Wikimedia Commons
	Spain in Wikinews

• Spanish grandee
• Spanish galleon