spain

SPAIN (ESPAÑA

)

• Officially the Kingdom of Spain• Member of the European

Union• Located in South-Western

Europe• Area: 504,403 sq.kms • Population: approximately 47

million• Capital: Madrid

WHAT IS SPAIN?

GEOGRAPHY

• Located in the Iberian Peninsula(occupies about 85% of it)

• Borders Portugal on the West, Gibraltar and Morocco on the South and France and Andorra on the North-east

• Spain includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

GEOGRAPHY

• Spain is a mountainous country• Mountain ranges include the Pyrenees,

Cordillera Cantábrica, Sistema Ibérico, Sistema Central, Montes de Toledo, etc.

• Highest point in Spain: Teide, a 3,718m high active volcano in the Canary Islands (3rd biggest volcano in the world)

• Several major rivers in Spain: the Tagus, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir

MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS

Three main climatic zones:• The Mediterranean climate: – dry and warm summers– dominant in the peninsula

• The Semiarid climate:– south-eastern quarter of the country– dry season extends beyond the summer

• The Oceanic climate:– northern quarter of the country– winter and summer temperatures are influenced by

the ocean, and it has no seasonal drought

Other sub-types can be found: the alpine climate in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada, and a typical subtropical climate in the Canary Islands.

CLIMATE

• Spain is a popular destination for vacation

• Tourism is one of the major sources of income for the people of Spain

• Employs about 10% of the work force

• Picturesque landscape with sandy beaches and awe inspiring urban attractions

• Spain attracts about 48 million tourists every year

TOURISM

• Located in Madrid• Designed by architect Juan de Villanueva• One of the greatest museums in Europe• Houses a rich collection of more than 4000

paintings dating back to the period between the 15th and the 19th century

PRADO MUSEUM

• Located in Barcelona• Spread over an area of 20 hectares• Constructed between 1910 and

1914• A perfect combination of urban

and natural landscapes

PARK GUELL

• Located in Andalusia• Spread over an area of 543 sq.kms• The most popular wetlands in

Europe• Features the Earth’s fractal brain

DONANA NATIONAL PARK

• La Rambla , Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, FC Barcelona Museum and Montserrat in Barcelona

• The Pyrenees range in North Spain• La Pedrera, Toledo, Pamplona, Zoo

de Madrid, Costa Blanca Beach, The Balearic Islands, Parque del Buen Retiro and Sierra Nevada Mountains

OTHER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

• Spain has a Socialist Government• Because it is a socialist

government, all medical treatment is free in Spain

• Most medicines are also free. Medicines that do cost money are very inexpensive

• The doctors in Spain don´t make as much money as the doctors in other countries

GOVERNMENT

• The currency used in Spain is Euro

• 1 Euro is equal to 1.3259 US$

MONEY

• The people in Spain are referred to as Spaniards

• Approximately 87.8% of the people are natives and the rest are immigrants

• Part of the Spanish population is the Spanish Roma (formerly-nomadic community that holds importance in Spanish culture and folklore)

• Religion: – Catholics: 76%– Other religions: 5%– Atheists: 19%

• Literacy rate: 97.9%

PEOPLE

JAVIER BARDEM

PENELOPE CRUZ

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

RAFAEL NADAL

IKER CASILLAS

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS

FERNANDO

ALONSO

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

• Greetings consist of a handshake and a kiss on both cheeks• Spanish men maintain longer eye contact with females• Life is slow paced• Life begins when the sun goes

down

CONFORMITIES

• Modern, conservative and stylish• Girls wear trousers• Boys are into designer wear• Denim is “in”• Short skirts and swim-wear are

frowned upon

CLOTHING

• Spain is very family oriented• Sunday is considered “Family Day” and all

of the malls and stores are closed so no one in the family has to work and everybody can spend time with their loved ones

• Spaniards eat lunch together almost everyday

• The grandparents usually live with the families

• Families usually live near each other

FAMILY

• Short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal

• Such a period of sleep is a common tradition

in Spain• The real siesta takes

place in the bed and in pyjamas, but a suitable sofa is also fine if a bed is not available

• Timing is very important. A siesta should last between 15-30 minutes, not more than that

SIESTA

• Evenings start with el paseo(a stroll along the street)

• Spanish life is lived in the streets

• Street cafes and bars are open till late night

• Nightclubs are the main attraction for teenagers

NIGHTLIFE

• Education in Spain is free and it lasts from 6 to 16 years of age.

• Children from the ages of 3-5 have the opportunity of attending pre-school, which is free for all students

• The child can get a job when he or she is 16 years old

• The current education in Spain is known as the Fundamental Law of Education

EDUCATION

• Spanish (Español) is the official language of Spain

• Second most spoken first language in the world

• Examples:- Hi : Hola - Bye : Adios- Good Morning : Buenos días- Good Afternoon : Buenas tardes- Good Night : Buenas noches- Thank You : Gracias- Welcome : De nada- Sorry : Lo siento- Excuse me : perdón

LANGUAGE

• Music in Spain is traditionally very upbeat and fast

• Over time, the music types of pop, rock, hip-hop and heavy metal have become popular, especially in Madrid and Barcelona

• Spain has over 40,000 professional orchestras

• The most popular traditional musical instrument, the guitar, originated in Spain

MUS C

• Complicated dance movement that originates from the native country of Spain and is not predominately influenced by other communities or cultures

• It is mainly performed by talented professionals

• Traditional Spanish dances are:– Flamenco– Jota Aragonesa– Sardana– Muñeira– Zambra– Bolero– Fandango– Paso doble– Sevillana

DANCE

• A passionate dance hailing from gypsies, flamenco is internationally famous

• It is a great Spanish Tradition• Cante: the song• Baile: the dance• Guitarra: guitar playing

FLAMENCO

• This typical dance hails from the north of Spain, namely Aragón

• Features a fast tempo as couples dance with their hands raised high above their heads playing castanets

JOTA ARAGONESA

• Several couples join hands and dance in a closed circle in this traditional dance from Catalonia

SARDANA

• Danced in twos or alone along the music of bagpipes

• Typical throughout Galicia and Asturias

MUÑEIRA

• One of the oldest and most traditional dances in the history of Spanish dance

• Quick Spanish dance boasting sudden pauses and sharp turns

BOLERO

• A quick one-step Spanish dance

PASO DOBLE

• Lively and joyous dance typical of Seville and reminiscent of flamenco that features four distinct parts

SEVILLANA

• Each town has its own celebration• Spain celebrates national holidays

such as Christmas, Easter, All Saint’s Day, etc.

• Majority of festivals are religion based

FIESTAS(FESTIVALS) AND TRADITIONS

• Celebrated in a high-spirited way• Street parties, processions, travelling

fairs, bullfighting, fireworks, cockfights, horse races, etc. take place

• Indigenous people dress in native costumes and show traditional dances and music

PATRON SAINT’S DAY

CHRISTMAS

• December 23:– Sing, pray, and eat together at

every house– Sing villancicos (carols) together– Asaltos – surprise visits by groups

of friends going from one house to another

– Children ask for aguinaldo (or small gift)

• December 24 “La noche buena”:– Everyone attends midnight mass– Drink, dance, open presents, eat

foods such as tamales and turkey

CHRISTMAS

• Children fill small boxes with grass for the King’s horses and parents replace the grass with gifts

• Christmas decorations are taken down

• Boys play the part of the three kings and wear fake beards, crowns, and long robes and sit in the plazas of towns where children go to have their pictures taken

DÍA DE LOS TRES REYES (THREE KINGS DAY)

CARNIVAL

• Originated in medieval Europe as the final celebration of feasting and merrymaking

• Spanish and West African traditions merged – West African slaves took advantage of the 4-day Spanish holiday to revel in their freedom and turned it into an elaborate celebration

• A time to drink, eat, and party in excess

• Men wear a papier-mache mask of several colors, an orange or red sash draped across the torso

• Women wear pollera de gala or deluxe pollera, complete with elaborate headpieces and jewelry made of gold and pearls

CARNIVAL

LA TOMATINA TOMATO FIGHT

• Worlds' biggest food-fight• Every year around 30,000 people

descend on to the Spanish town of Buñol (in the Valencia region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other

• The festival is started with a ham-on-a-stick contest where competitors race up a pole to retrieve a smoked leg of ham

• When the ham is cut down, people put on eye protection and cry for tomatoes as trucks dump the squishy produce onto the village streets

• They then proceed to pelt each other with tomatoes until all have been used up

LA TOMATINA TOMATO FIGHT

• The festival on the last Wednesday of August is called ‘La Tomatina' and is basically a town-wide tomato fight

• It is thought that the tradition began in 1945 when a fight erupted among two young members of a carnival crowd. A vegetable stall was nearby in the town square and everyone started throwing tomatoes at each other

• Exactly one year later, young people met at the square, but this time with their own tomatoes

• In the following years this practice was banned by the authorities, but due to popular demand, it was given official recognition in 1959

LA TOMATINA TOMATO FIGHT

CORRIDA DE TOROS (BULL FIGHTING)

• National sport of Spain• Bull fighting is very closely associated with

Spain and can trace its origins back to 711 A.D

• This is when the first bullfight took place in celebration for the crowning of King Alfonso VIII

• It is very popular in Spain with several thousand Spaniards flocking to their local bull-ring each week

• It is said that the total number of people watching bullfights in Spain reaches one million every year

• The top bullfighter, called the Matador, performs the faena, which is a dance with death to demonstrate his superiority over the bull

• One wrong move and the Matador could be impaled on the horns of the bull

CORRIDA DE TOROS (BULL FIGHTING)

CUISINE

CUISINE• Is influenced by the Phoenicians, Greeks,

Romans, Jews, Moors and Muslim Andulicians

• Their traditional pattern is composed of four meals a day plus some snacks:– A light breakfast (desayuno): coffee

or chocolate, bread, or churros– Midmorning breakfast: grilled

sausages, fried squid, bread with tomato or an omelet

– Light snack: tapas– Lunch (comida): soup or salad, fish or

meat, and dessert– Tea and pastries (merienda)– Supper: soup or omelets and fruit

TAPAS

• Finger food, or (tapas) can be anything that is served as a finger food usually in a small bowl

• This finger food can be anything from cheese & ham to olives and is usually eaten at the same time as drinking at a tapas bar

• The finger food is usually left out on bars and people will nibble away while drinking and socializing at the bar

PAELLA

• Valencian rice dish• Many non-Spaniards view paella as

Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish

• There are three widely known types of paella:– Valencian paella– Seafood paella– Mixed paella

Rice pudding (Arroz con leche )

Fixuelos

CATALAN CREAM• Most famous dish

in Catalonia• Served on Saint

Joseph's Day, March 19 and is flavored with lemon or orange zest, and cinnamon.GAZPACHO

• Raw vegetable soup made of hard bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, vinegar of wine, and salt

PATATAS BRAVAS

GAMBAS AJILLO (GARLIC PRAWNS)

PESCADO FRITO (FRIED FISH)

TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA (SPANISH OMELET)

SPANISH ARMED FORCES (FUERZAS

ARMADAS ESPAÑOLAS)

SPANISH ARMED FORCES (FUERZAS ARMADAS

ESPAÑOLAS)

• Supreme Chief Of Armed Forces (jefe supremo de las fuerzas armadas) : the current Chief of the Defence Staff is General Admiral Fernando Garcia Sanchez

• Active Members of NATO, the Eurocorps, and the European Union Battlegroups

• Three Main Branches:- Spanish Army

- Spanish Navy - Spanish Air force

SPANISH ARMY

• Oldest and the largest of the three services

• Consists of 6 commands:- Central Command- Southern Command- Levante Command- Eastern Pyrenees Command- Northwestern Command - Western Pyrenees Command

HISTORY OF SPANISH ARMY

• Earlier, the Army was grouped into two basic categories:

- The Immediate Intervention Forces- consisted of 3 divisions and 10 brigades- had the missions of defending the Pyrenean and the Gibraltar frontiers and of fulfilling Spain's security commitments abroad

- The Territorial Operational Defence Forces

- consisted of 2 divisions and 14 brigades- maintaining security in the regional commands and reinforcing the Civil Guard and the police against subversion and terrorism

SPANISH LEGION

• The Spanish Legion, founded in Spanish Morocco in 1920, has always been under the direct command of the chief of the army staff

• It has had a reputation as the toughest combat unit in the service. It had a higher number of career soldiers than other units.

SPANISH WARS

• Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) : between Spain and UK

• Treaty of London: End of English disruption to Spanish shipping and colonial expansion; English Channel opened to Spanish navigation; piracy against the Spanish Atlantic convoys halted.

• Spanish–American War (1898) : between Spain and the UK.

• Treaty of Paris: Independence of Cuba

SPANISH NAVY

SPANISH NAVY• One of the oldest active naval forces in

the world• Responsible for the discovery of

Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path from the Far East to America across the Pacific Ocean

• Was the most powerful maritime force in the world in the 16th and early 17th centuries

• After a gradual decline in the second half of the 17th century, it was revived following the Spanish War of Succession and for much of the 18th century, it was the third strongest in the world

SPANISH NAVY

• Consists of two units:• The Special Operations Unit (Unidad de

Operaciones Especiales (UOE)): Trained in maritime counter-terrorism, combat diving and swimming, coastal infiltration, ship boarding, direct action, and special reconnaissance

• The Combat Diver Unit (Unidad Especial de Buceadores de Combate (UEBC)): Trained in underwater demolitions and hydrographic reconnaissance

SPANISH AIR FORCE

SPANISH AIR FORCE

• Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896

• On 17 December 1913, during the war with Morocco, a Spanish expeditionary squadron became the first organized military air unit to see combat during the first systematic bombing

SPANISH AIR FORCE• The present Spanish Air Force

was officially established on 7 October 1939

• The Air Regions and their Command centres after the changes became the following:• Combat Air Command (MACOM)

located in Madrid• Tactical Air Command (MATAC),

Sevilla• Transport Air Command (MATRA),

Zaragoza• Canary Islands Air Command

(MAQUEN), Las Palmas

SPANISH AIR FORCE

• Sport in Spain in the second half of 20th century has always been dominated by football

• Other popular sport activities include basketball, tennis, cycling,  handball, motorcycling, Formula One, water sports, golf, and skiing

• Spain has also hosted a number of international events such as the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the 1982 FIFA World Cup

SPORTS

• Rafael Nadal's Wimbledon  championships in 2008 and 2010• The 2006 World Basketball

Championship• The 2009 Basketball Eurocup• The 2008 Tennis Davis Cup• Atlético Madrid UEFA Europa

League 2010• FC Barcelona European success

in 2006, 2009 and 2011, the football team bringing home the Euro 2008 trophy & the 2010 FIFA World Cup

SPORTS

• Football is the most popular sport in Spain

• La Liga or Primera División (The Spanish League) is considered to be one of the world's best competitions

• Successful teams in recent European competitions are FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia and  Atlético Madrid

• The Spanish national football team has been successful and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup tournament thirteen times since 1930

• In 2010, Spain defeated the Netherlands in the final to win the tournament for the first time

FOOTBALL

• The Spanish ACB is one of the major European basketball leagues

• Spanish teams such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Joventut Badalona have won international championships such as the Euro League or the Eurocup

• The Spanish national basketball team has achieved a high ranked position in the international tournament by winning their first ever gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship

BASKETBALL

• Spain has produced a number of tennis champions, excelling in tournaments held on clay courts such as the Roland Garros tournament

• Rafael Nadal is considered the greatest Spanish tennis player of all time

• He has won the French Open four consecutive times

• Nadal is the Gold Medalist at 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China

• He currently has ten grand slam titles to his name, six French Open titles, two Wimbledon titles, one US Open title and one Australian Open title

TENNIS

• Spain has hosted three Grand Prix motorcycle racing events. They include the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix, and the Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix

• In Formula One, the two world championships of Fernando Alonso have made the sport popular in Spain

• Due to this popularity it is currently the only country to host two Grands Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and the European Grand Prix on the Valencia Street Circuit

MOTORSPORTS

• Cycling has been an important sport in Spain since the 1940s

• The Vuelta a España ("Tour of Spain") is one of the most important cycling events in the world

• Golf has become popular among the Spaniards

• There are a number of golf courses located in different parts of Spain

CYCLING AND GOLF

GRACIAS