A Profile of Spain

Reino Aftasí School
Badajoz
A Comenius Activity

Profile of Spain

Capital city: Madrid

Currency: Euro 

Population: 46.000.000
Biggest cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Saragosse, Málaga
Borders with: Portugal, France, Andorra, Gibraltar and Morocco 

Flag: red and yellow
Religion: 

Practising Catholics 29,2%.
Non-Practising Catholics 51,3%.
Unbelievers 8,9%.
Atheists 7,6%.
Other cults 2,1%.

Member of EU: since 1986

 
Prime Minister name: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
(NOTE: There are general elections on November 20th and all surveys indicate new PM will be Mariano Rajoy)

Head of State: King Juan Carlos I

Important historical figures:
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (mediaeval warrior)
Almanzor
Juan Sebastián Elcano (16 century explorer)
Hernán Cortés (conqueror of Mexico)
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (writer)
Santiago Ramón y Cajal (Nobel Proze Winner scientist)
King Juan Carlos I


Most important events  in history:
The Muslim invasion of the Peninsula in 711
The discovery of America 1492.
The Disaster of Armada (1588).
The First Liberal Constitution 1812
The Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939
Franco's death and Juan Carlos succession to the position of King of Spain and head of state in November 1975
In 1986 Spain joined the European Community (later became the European Union) 

Food, drink, sweets:
dishes: paella, cold meats of Iberian pork, gazpacho (tomato cold soup), fried fish, potato omelette
drinks: wine, cava, granizada (iced lemon juice), horchata (tiger nut drink)
dessert: polvorones (Cristmas biscuits), Almond Cake, turrón (nougat)

Celebrities


King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia


Bernat Soria and Antonio Bru (cancer researchers)


Ferrán Adriá (chef)


Entertainment: Penélope Cruz (actress), Antonio Banderas (actor), Pedro Almodóvar (film maker)


Sports people: Rafael Nadal (tennis), Fernando Alonso (Formula 1), Andres Iniesta (soccer player), Mario contador(cycling championship), Gerard Pique (soccer player), Pau Gasol (basketball player)



REFERENCE