NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Kingdom of Spain
Espana
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France |
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Geographic coordinates:
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40 00 N, 4 00 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 504,782 sq km
water: 5,240 sq km note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera land: 499,542 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km |
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Coastline:
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4,964 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast |
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Terrain:
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large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m |
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Natural resources:
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coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land: 28.6%
permanent crops: 9.56% other: 61.84% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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36,400 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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40,217,413 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 38.7 years
male: 37.4 years female: 40.1 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.16% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.23 years
male: 75.87 years female: 82.8 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.5% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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130,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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2,300 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish |
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Ethnic groups:
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composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% |
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Languages:
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Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.) |