In this guide, you'll learn 77 facts about Spain, including food, expat, politics, travel, national symbols, and more. What is the most popular drink in Spain? Spaniards typically eat a smaller dinner because they have a large meal in the middle of the day. Spain’s population is 46.7 million, so tourists account for almost double the population. Some recipes include other fresh vegetables. Peppers, beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. TRAVEL FACTS. It’s not just the Iberian Peninsula where you’ll find Spanish territory. You can watch bullfights in different Spanish cities too. The Puerta del Sol (“Gate of the Sun”) plaza in Madrid is the physical center of the country. About Spain. Okay, so that’s not the weirdest part. You absolutely can drink the water in Spain because more than 99% of the water that comes from the tap is safe. Carnations and other types of flowers grow wild across Spain. Only a small portion of the country is covered in dense woodland. There are other claimants, but let’s say that Don Quixote, written in 1605, was the world’s first “modern” novel. From sun-drenched archipelagos and bustling urban cities to snowcapped mountains and semi-arid deserts, Spain epitomizes geographical diversity. 28. What is the best place to live in Spain? Madrid has the oldest restaurant in the world, 14. The official name of the country in Spanish is Reino de España. Originally made from vegetables mixed with snails and rabbit, it can include any type of meat today. Spain has a national minimum wage of €1,050 per month. Spain picked the Quercus Ilex as its national tree. The country will also look at whether you have a bank account and if you filed and paid your taxes. The Spanish national anthem has no words, 23. Not so in Spain; you won’t have to go through the trouble of remembering anything but the tune to their national anthem. This means that each square mile in the country is home to roughly 238 people. While less than 32,000 Romanians immigrated to Spain in 2001, the number who moved there in 2014 climbed to more than 700,000. The World Factbook Country/Location Photo Gallery Modal ... 11,168 ft) extend from the Bay of Biscay (west, left) to the Gulf of Lyon (east, right). One survey found that Spaniards now have a longer life expectancy than the Japanese. As long as you leave the bears alone though, they shouldn't bother you. You can have a glass with lunch or dinner. With over 570 million Hispanophones, Spanish is second only to Mandarin Chinese. From the complicated to the mundane and outright addictive, Spain’s inventions include the ancestor of the cigarette (17th century), the astronaut’s spacesuit (1935), and the humble mop and bucket (1956). Churros are a popular alternative. 57. A good example is that you have a student visa but you want to enroll in a new university course. Honestly though, what would Spanish and Italian cuisine be without these foodstuffs? Spain – or the Kingdom of Spain, to give the country it’s official … Check out this guide about the best way to learn Spanish. Some of the other types of vegetation you might see include forests filled with oak trees and both lime and chestnut trees. Fast Facts in Spain Business Hours -- Banks are open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 2pm and Saturday 9:30am to 1pm. These should be handy, especially while planning your trip to Spain. Mount Teide is the highest mountain in Spain and the nation's highest elevation. If you know about siesta, you may think it’s a bit of a stereotype – but it’s not. If you want to go a little deeper in the language, you should consider Madrigals Magic Key to Spanish. Spain is so much more than just its beaches; while the seaside is Spain's biggest tourist asset, the country away from the beaches offers a fabulous natural and historic heritage just waiting to be explored . Spain is home to both the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse. It’s a little known fact about Spain that tourism is quite as big as it is, though. Spain does see some high levels of drug-related crimes though because it serves as a major port for drugs entering the EU. 47. Galicia is Celtic. The best time to visit Spain can include the late spring or the early fall. This is probably the most common misspelling: Spein. They have two prongs that are slightly rounded and fit into the holes in the outlet. How many tourists visit Spain every year? Spain is a large country that is home to three different and distinct regions. That’s up there with the big hitters of life expectancy – Switzerland, Italy, and, of course, Japan. That’s like… one beach every kilometer. Greece gets a lot of attention in the summer. But you can explore further on your own if you are interested in a particular subject or want to read some curiosities as well. You'll see those images as part of the coat of arms of the Royal Family on the flag. Spain is a storied country of stone castles, snowcapped mountains, vast monuments, and sophisticated cities. Other trading partners include France, Italy, United States, and China. The nation saw its population grow from less than 30 million residents in 1950 to more than 46 million today. Every single staple was apparently engraved with Louis’ royal emblem. Your email address will not be published. Before you apply for a visa or look at immigration policies, you may want to learn more about the nation through the 80 facts about Spain that I found. Since the Pyrenees Mountains were such a significant barrier in the north, and Spain is just 9 miles … The most popular food in Spain is also the national dish, which is paella. The national flower of Spain is the red carnation. There are some pretty famous festivals in Spain, 17. Another portion of the country borders North Africa. Something like this adapter will do the trick. Spain had the first empire on which it was said that the sun never set, 10. Just open and read the phonetic phrases. Because Spain maintains a small outpost on the African continent called Ceuta. Barcelona Where to Stay. Your email address will not be published. Before the permit expires, you can request a new one to extend your stay. Join me in the comments! They got themselves a lot of gold and left a big ol’ cultural legacy – and a whole lot of Spanish-speakers. Whether you want to dive into the water, spend some time on a boat or try some adventure sports, you need to find the best beaches in Spain. Opened in 1725, you have to check this place out when you’re in the Spanish capital. That’s more than double the amount that Italy makes. Is it easy to get permanent residency in Spain? Chorizo is a traditional ingredient used in Spanish cooking. The number of people living in the country increased each year over the last few decades. And this is primarily found in the mountains. Population size: 44,7 million in 2006. This is held in Pamplona every year. Spain’s adventures (and misadventures) in the New World of the Americas brought back some culinary firsts in terms of fresh produce. Mount Teide is located on Tenerife Island, Canary Islands. There is a town in Spain where 700 people have the surname “Japón”, 18. We begin with a geography-based fact about Spain; it has a land border, not sea, with an African country. There are 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites spread throughout Spain, from entire historic city centers all the way to bridges, buildings, and pre-historic rock art. Around 44% of the world’s olive oil is produced by Spain, 25. Most people who live in the country are Roman Catholics, though a large percentage of residents do not adhere to any religious beliefs. Immigrants are those who permanently move to a new country. National Geographic’s latest travel stories about Spain. It holds general elections and specialty elections to appoint politicians to the European Cabinet. The Balearic Islands are home to several mountains with elevations of above 1,000 feet. What are the official languages in Spain? Twenty minutes, max. Where do the immigrants in Spain come from? What kind of food is traditional in Spain? We bet you were waiting for a fact about Spain as awesome as this one. What are the top 10 famous places in Spain? Other popular beaches include La Concha, Playa de Aiguablava, Rodas, Cala Mondragó and Galicia. Spain has five national languages, including one main language and those spoken in select regions. Thinking about a move to Spain? Barcelona, the second-largest city in … 55. Castilian is the main national language and what people in other countries refer to as Spanish. What you probably don’t know is that it’s part of a longer nine-day festival in honor of Saint Fermin. The point was to find a route to East Asia through the Americas and across the Pacific. Want to really learn the language? If Spanish food had to be summed up in one word, it would probably be tapas. Thousands of people head to the Seville Fair each year too. A total of 21 nations speak Spanish on the daily. Though Europe calls the game football, Americans call it soccer. Some of the more modern political parties found in Spain are Vox, Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals and Union, Progress and Democracy. Well, tapas is the plural of tapa, meaning “top” or “cover.” The original tapas were intended to cover drinks between sips, so no flies or whatever got in them. What language are road signs in Spain? Siesta is still very much part of Spanish life, 27. Many bars today exist simply for the joy of tapas. If Spain had a national drink, it would be sangria. During most of the year, Spain is in the Central European timezone (GMT+1). Though paella is very popular, you'll also find gazpacho served in local restaurants. With the urban areas added into this figure, Madrid has a total population of more than 5.8 million residents. From the late 15th century to the early 19th century, Spain may have controlled a lot of overseas territories, but it had its fingers in a lot of pies. Approximately 67% of people living in Spain identify as Roman Catholic. Construction began on the city’s famous Antoni Gaudí-designed cathedral in 1882 and has been under construction for more than 130 years. Madrid is the largest city in Spain by the number of inhabitants. The first ‘novel’ is attributed to a Spanish author, 13. Though you might worry about the political climate when you move to some countries, you shouldn't worry about those issues when moving to Spain. Spain is a popular tourist spot and sees the number of tourists visiting increase almost every year. Storyteller.travel shares the best travel insights, facts, and photos. It’s expected to be completed in 2026. Do I need a power adapter when I visit Spain? A large number of bones have been recovered from caves at Atapuerca, Burgos, which come from sediments that are at least 300,000 years old. Wild pigs, lynx cats and ibexes can attack when provoked. To become a full resident or citizen of Spain, you need to have a full-time job or some way to support yourself and an established residence. You should only use those terms if you know for sure that someone belongs to that group. Those airports include Ibiza Airport, Almería International Airport, and La Palma Airport. Spain developed a province system in 1833 and officially recognized that system in 1978. The most populous cities in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona are Valencia, Seville, and Bilbao. Yep. 34. What type of government does Spain have? The Moors or Los Moros (Muslims from North Africa), under the lead of Tariq ibn-Ziyad, invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD and overran the Visigoths. Tourist information about Spain: art, culture, museums, monuments, beaches, cities, fiestas, routes, cuisine, natural spaces in Spain | spain.info in english You can grab hot dogs, burgers and other dishes that remind you of home as well as some authentic Spanish snacks. Well, the Basque Country. It is … Spain is a sovereign state and is almost completely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The amount of time that you can live in Spain depends on the type of permit or visa you obtain. 66. Here's how to order (and eat) churros in Spain. Formula 1, gymnastics, bullfighting and basketball are other popular sports in Spain. Learn more about them and their miniature friends. Spain lies south of the range, France is to the north, and Andorra is entirely within the range near the eastern snow patch. It ranks as one of the four largest countries in Europe. It stands approximately 12,195 feet tall. What is the highest elevation in Spain? Photograph by Pascal Saez, VWPics, Redux Workers who make minimum wage earn €12,600 each year, but many skilled jobs in Spain pay more. The bull appears on the country's flags and government documents. What were known as “Moors” from North Africa invaded Spain in 711 AD. In 2018, the country received 82.5 million tourists, making it the second-most visited nation on the planet. Nowhere is this felt more than in the southern region of Andalusia. The first circumnavigation of the world was carried out between 1519 and 1521, 9. 33. You should not even think about staying in Spain without a valid visa. 46. It’s a little known fact about Spain that tourism is quite as big as it is, though. We love getting to off the beaten path destinations and aren’t afraid to go it alone. Called ‘Marcha Real,’ it’s also one of the world’s oldest national anthems, written in 1761. Most national anthems are there to be sung and half-forgotten as you hum along trying to make it at least look like you know the words. There are seven political parties called the national parties of Spain, including the People's Party, Spanish Socialist Party, United We Can and Citizens. The Canary Islands are part of the Western European Standard Time time zone (GMT). Aigüestortes i Estany of Saint Maurici National Park, 21 Kenyan Food and Drinks to Try (Dishes, Drinks, Desserts in Kenya), 24 Haitian Food and Drinks to Try: Guide to Cuisine in Haiti, 33 Peruvian Foods: Traditional Food in Peru (Dishes, Drinks, Desserts), 28 Banana Facts: Weird & Tasty Guide to Fruit, Plant, Nutrition, and History, 22 Nicaraguan Foods to Try: Dishes, Drinks, Desserts in Nicaragua, 12 Rwandan Foods to Try: Traditional Rwanda Dishes, Desserts, Drinks, 5 Types of Banana Spiders (From Harmless to Venomous), What Do Kangaroos Eat? 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