Area: 504,782 sq km (194,897 sq miles).

Population: 39,143,394 (1994).

Population Density: 77.5 per sq km.

Capital: Madrid. Population: 3,010,492 (1995).

Geography: Spain shares the Iberian peninsula with Portugal and is bounded to the north by the Pyrénées, which separate Spain from France. The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera), 193km (120 miles) southeast of Barcelona, and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa are part of Spain, as are the tiny enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the north African mainland. With the exception of Switzerland, mainland Spain is the highest and most mountainous country in Europe, with an average height of 610m (2000ft). The Pyrénées stretch roughly 400km (249 miles) from the Basque Country in the west to the Mediterranean Sea; at times the peaks rise to over 1524m (5000ft), the highest point being 3404m (11,169ft). The main physical feature of Spain is the vast central plateau, or Meseta, divided by several chains of sierras. The higher northern area includes Castile and León, the southern section comprises Castile/La Mancha and Extremadura. In the south the plateau drops abruptly at the Sierra Morena, beyond which lies the valley of Guadalquivir. Southeast of Granada is the Sierra Nevada, part of the Betic Cordillera, which runs parallel to the Mediterranean, rising to 3481m (11,420ft) and the highest point on the Spanish peninsula (the Pico del Teide on Tenerife in the Canaries is the highest peak in Spain). The Mediterranean coastal area reaches from the French frontier in the northeast down to the Straits of Gibraltar, the narrow strip of water linking the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and separating Spain from North Africa.

Language: Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician and Basque.

Religion: Roman Catholic majority.

                                                          
                                                                                       Granada "Alhambra at Night"
 
 

Time:
Mainland Spain/Balearics: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).
The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).

Electricity: 220 volts AC (110/125 volts in some older buildings), 50Hz. Generally, round 2-pin plugs and screw-type lamp fittings are in use.

Communications:
Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 34. Outgoing international code: 07. Area codes for a selection of major centres: Madrid 1, Alicante 6, Balearic Islands 71, Barcelona 3, Benidorm 6, Bilbao 4, Granada 58, Las Palmas 28, Málaga and Torremolinos 5, Santander 42, Seville 5, Tenerife 22 and Valencia 6. For calls made from within Spain, dial 9 before the above numbers.
Fax: This is generally available at 4- and 5-star hotels, especially those catering for the business and conference traveller.
Telex/telegram: Facilities are available at main post offices. A 24-hour service is available in Madrid at Plaza de la Cibeles; in Barcelona at Plaza Antonio Lopez; in Bilbao at 15 Calle Alameda Urquijo. There are also facilities in major hotels. Charges for automatically connected telex transmissions are by the minute, with a one-minute minimum charge. Transmissions through the operator are at the same rate, with a 3-minute minimum charge. Urgent business transmissions to Britain can be made from the British Embassy in Madrid, the British Consulates General at Barcelona and Bilbao, and the British Consulates at Seville and the Canary Islands. There is a surcharge of 90% of the cost during normal working hours.
Post: There are efficient internal and international postal services to all countries. Airmail within Europe usually takes about five days. Poste Restante facilities are available at main post offices.
Press: The English-language daily is The Iberian Daily Sun. Guidepost is Spain's American weekly newspaper. Local newspapers published in English include the Majorca Daily Bulletin and the English-language edition of Sur. Spanish dailies with large circulations include ABC, Diario 16, El Pais and El Mundo.

BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.

BBC:
MHz 15.07 12.09 9.410 6.195
A service is also available on 648kHz and 198kHz (0100-0500 GMT).

Voice of America:
MHz 15.20 9.760 6.040 5.995
 

Currency

NOTE: Currency regulations and exchange rates will vary depending on the nature and size of the transaction: the details given in this section generally apply only for small transactions by individuals, with the exchange rate an average of the buying and the selling prices. For more detailed information consult your bank.

Currency: Peseta (Pta). Notes are in denominations of Pta10,000, 5000, 2000 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of Pta500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1.

Currency exchange: Money can be changed in any bank and most travel agencies. National Girobank Postcheques may be used to withdraw cash from UK accounts at main Spanish post offices. If buying Pesetas in advance, note that rates of exchange at many UK banks depend on the denominations of Spanish currency being bought or sold. Check with banks for details and current rates.

Credit cards: Access/Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted. Check with your credit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other facilities which may be available.

Travellers cheques: International travellers cheques and Eurocheques are widely accepted.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is subject to declaration if the amount exceeds Pta1,000,000 and the amount exported must not exceed the amount declared on arrival. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited, but should be declared if the quantity exceeds Pta500,000 per person per journey, to avoid difficulties on leaving Spain.

Banking hours: 0900-1400 Monday to Friday, 0900-1300 Saturday (except during the summer).