SPAINMAPS

Above: Provinces of SpainSpain

Below Right: Language Map of Spain.Spain has Castilian Spanish (official) 74%. Catalan 17%. Galician 7%, and Basque 2%Islands and Peninsulas Portugal and Spain are part of the Iberian Peninsula.The Balearic Islands are in the Mediterranean Sea. The Canary Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean.

Canary IslandsBalearic Islands

Above Left: Satellite view of Iberian Peninsula.Below Center:Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands.Below Left: Resort in the Canary IslandsGovernment and MoneyThe Peseta was the original currency in Spain from 1869 to 2002.

The Peseta was replaced with the Euro after 2002.

Spains government is a Constitutional Monarchy.

Spain has a President elected by the people.

Above Right: The Euro CoinsAbove Left: The Spanish Capital Building in MadridBelow Right:The Euro Bills

Below Left: Courthouse in BilbaoSCHEDULETypical work hours are 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 8pm.Everybody returns home for the main meal (lunch) with the entire family around 2pm.Children eat their snacks after school (around 5:30pm): a big sandwich made with baguette bread.After a light meal around 10:00pm, the usual bedtime is at midnight.

Above: Main meal (lunch)Below: Afternoon snacksFOODPeople dont eat junk food or drink sodas.The main meal has two courses plus fresh fruit for dessert.Fresh fish is very popular (sold and cooked whole).Tapas are a bite size portion of any dish.

Above Left: PaellaAbove Right: Whole Fresh FishBelow Right: Baby EelsBelow Left: Tapas in Coffee Shop

SCHOOLPreschool is mandatory and College is always free.There is no need for school buses: all children walk because schools are very close.Children go to school from 9am to 1pm; they go home for the main meal (lunch) and they return to school from 3pm to 5pm.Students have to learn at least two foreign languages (most of the time three) by the time they finish high school.

Above: Children walking to school.121624358791011Below: School ScheduleTRANSPORTATIONThere is no need to own a car (it is optional) because people either walk or use the variety of public transportation: bus lines, subways, trains, bridges, ferries, and street cars in most cities. Trips are never long because everything (workplace, school, stores, churches, offices) is close by.

Above Left: Regional Bus.Center Left: City BusBelow Left: (Puente Colgante) Suspension BridgeBelow Right: Subway entrance.Center Right: Street Car.Above Right: Bullet TrainThe Typical HousePeople own apartments instead of houses, but nobody rents.People dont spend much time at home (just to eat and sleep); that is why living spaces are smaller.All neighborhoods have a plaza where people meet to talk and children play together.The average apartment in the city has 3 bedrooms, 1 small kitchen, 1 living room, and 2 bathrooms. Also a patio.

Above: Modern ApartmentsBelow: Old Apartments

Major Cities

Above Left: BarcelonaBelow Left: ValenciaAbove Right: Madrid (capital) Below Right: BilbaoArts

Below Center: Flower Puppy in BilbaoAbove Center: Guggenheim Museum in BilbaoBelow Right: Sagrada FamiliaChurch in BarcelonaBelow Left: Giant Spider Sculpture in BilbaoAbove Left: La AlhambraChurch in Granada

Above Right: MetropolParapol structure in Seville Center Left: Berklee College of Music in ValenciaShoppingMost stores are small family owned businesses located at the ground level of apartment buildings.Coupons dont exist and sales are only twice a year (at the end of each season).All supermarkets have delivery service and all retail stores do alterations for free.

Above Right: Large SupermarketBelow Right: Inside a MallBelow Left: Small FamilyOwned Store

SportsSoccer is extremely popular among adults and kids (everybody watches it). Sports are separated from academics, so schools and colleges dont have their own sport teams. Kids who want to participate in sports have to join an athletic association.Bullfighting is seasonal and popular in some cities.

Above: Bull FightingBelow: Soccer (ftbol)EntertainmentParties or gatherings at home dont exist; people always go out.Walking outside for no reason and at all times is part of the culture regardless of the weather conditions; people dont stay home.During the weekends the streets can be full with people until 2 or 3am.

Below: People at Coffee Shop relaxingAbove: Peoplewalking outside Holidays and EventsThe 6th of January is a very special cultural and religious holiday: The Day of the Three Kings.Instead of Santa Claus, The Three Kings, or Wise Men (Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar) bring presents to children the night of January 5th.Each child chooses his/her own King and writes a letter to him.Children have to clean their shoes very well and place them by the window at night. The morning of the 6th they will find candy inside the shoes and presents all around.

Below and Above: The 3 KingsInteresting FactsSpain produces a large amount of renewable energy, including wind power and solar power.The Pyrenees is a mountain range that divides Spain and France.Mount Teide is the highest mountain in Spain (3718 m, 12198Ft) and an active volcano.Spain is a developed country with a high quality of life.The population of Spain in 2012 was around 47 million.The Spanish tourism industry is one of the largest in the world, bringing in billions of Euros into the Spanish economy.There is no tooth fairy in Spain but rather a tooth mouse called Ratoncito Perez.The name Spain comes from the word Ispania, which means the land of rabbits.Spain was not part of the first or second world war because Spain had its own civil war at that time. Spain is the only country in Europe that produces bananas. Spains doctors and hospitals are free.

Above: Mount Teide Below: Ratoncito Perez,the tooth mouseFINAlbniz: MalagueaNarciso YepesIsaac AlbnizMalaguea - Spanish Guitar Music1968iTunes 11.1.4