GENERAL INFORMATION
Area
505,988 sq km (195,363 sq miles); includes Spanish North Africa.
Population
40,280,8780 (estimate 2004).
Population Density
84.4 per sq km.
Capital
Madrid.
Population: 3,092,759 (2003).
Government
Parliamentary monarchy since 1978.
Head of State: King Juan Carlos I since 1975.
Head of Government: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero since 2004.
Language
Spanish (Castillian), Catalan (in the northeast), Galician (in the northwest) and Basque (in the north).
Religion
There is no official religion, but the majority of the population is Roman Catholic.
Time
Mainland Spain/Balearics: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity
220 or 225 volts AC, 50Hz. Generally, round two-pin plugs and screw-type lamp fittings are in use.
Communications
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 34. Outgoing international code: 00. Emergency calls: 112. Area codes are incorporated within a nine digit number. The following are a selection of codes for major centers: Madrid 91, Alicante 96, Balearic Islands 971, Barcelona 93, Benidorm 96, Bilbao 94, Granada 958, Málaga and Torremolinos 95, Las Palmas 928, Santander 942, Seville 95, Tenerife 922 and Valencia 96
Mobile telephone
GSM 900/1800 networks available. Roaming agreements exist with all major networks. Coverage is good throughout most of the country. Main network providers include Movistar (website: www.movistar.com), Retevision Movil (website: www.amena.com) and Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.es).
Fax
Most post offices have services. Facilities are also generally available at 4- and 5-star hotels, especially those catering for the business and conference traveller.
Internet
There is a variety of Internet cafes in most urban areas. Main ISPs include Futurnet (website: www.futurnet.es), Ibernet Telematica (website: www.ibernet.com), Ozú (website: www.ozu.es), Terra (website: www.terra.es), Wanadoo (website: www.wanadoo.es) and Ya (website: www.ya.com).
Telegram
Facilities are available at main post offices. A 24-hour service is available in Madrid at Plaza de Cibeles; in Barcelona at Plaza Antonio Lopez; in Bilbao at 15 Calle Alameda Urquijo.
Post
There are efficient internal and international postal services to all countries. Airmail within Europe usually takes around five days. Poste Restante facilities are available at main post offices.
Press
Local newspapers published in English include the Costa Blanca News, Majorca Daily Bulletin and the English-language edition of Sur (weekly). Spanish dailies with large circulations include ABC, El Marca (sports only), El Mundo and El País.
Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
Public Holidays
Jan 1 2005: New Year’s Day.
Jan 6: * Epiphany.
Mar 19: * San Jose.
Mar 24: * Maundy Thursday.
Mar 25: Good Friday.
May 1: Labor Day.
Aug 15: Assumption.
Oct 12: National Day.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Dec 6: Constitution Day.
Dec 8: Immaculate Conception.
Dec 25: Christmas Day.
Jan 1 2006: New Year’s Day.
Jan 6: * Epiphany.
Mar 19: * San Jose.
Apr 13: * Maundy Thursday.
Apr 14: Good Friday.
May 1: Labor Day.
Aug 15: Assumption.
Oct 12: National Day.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Dec 6: Constitution Day.
Dec 8: Immaculate Conception.
Dec 25: Christmas Day.
(a) *These holidays may be replaced by the autonomous communities with another date.
(b) The following dates are also celebrated as regional public holidays (within these regions, there are further public holidays peculiar to the various towns and cities):
Jan 29: Dia de la Convivencia (Ceuta).
Feb 28: Andalucía Day.
Mar 1: Balearic Isles Day.
Apr 23: San Jorge (Aragon) and Day of the Region of Castilla y Leon.
May 2: San Segundo (Castilla y Leon) and Fiesta of the Communidad de Madrid.
May 17: Dia de las Letras Gallegas (Galicia).
May 30: Canaries Day.
May 31: Day of the Region of Castilla-La Mancha.
Jun 9: Day of the Region of Murcia and Day of La Rioja.
Sep 8: Asturias Day, Day of Extremadura and Nuestra la Virgen de la Victoria (Melilla).
Sep 11: National Day of Catalonia.
Sep 15: Nuestra Senora de la Bien Aparecida (Cantabria).
Sep 17: Commemoration of the Spanish Refounding of the City of Melilla.
Dec 26: San Esteban (Balearic Isles and Catalonia).
(c) Catalonia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) and Valenciana also celebrate Easter Monday (
Mar 28 2005: and
Apr 17 2006: ).
Special Events
Throughout Spain, folklore is very much alive and there is always some form of folk festival occurring. It is almost impossible for a visitor to be anywhere in the country for more than a fortnight without something taking place. The Ministry of Tourism produces a booklet listing and describing Spain’s many national and regional feasts and festivals, of which there are over 3000 each year. Fiestas, Saints’ Days, Romerías (picnics to religious shrines) and Verbenas (night festivals on the eve of religious holidays) are all celebrated with great spirit and energy. Holy Week is probably the best time of year to visit for celebrations and it is then that the individuality of each region’s style of pageantry is best revealed. For further information, contact the Spanish National Tourist Office (see General Info section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Spain in 2005
Jan 19-20: Tamborrada, San Sebastián.
Feb 2-4: Moors and Christians (traditional festival), Bocairente.
Feb 3-9: Carnival in Sitges (gay carnival), Barcelona.
Feb 8: Carnival Tuesday, nationwide.
Mar 15-19: Las Fallas, Valencia.
Mar 20-27: Holy Week (religious celebrations), nationwide.
Apr 12-17: Sevilla Fair.
May: Festival of the Courtyards and May Fair, Cordoba.
May 1-3: Cruces de Mayo, Granada.
May 1-8: Feria del Caballo (horse market), Jerez.
May 15-29: Fiestas de San Isidro, Madrid.
Jun: San Bernabe Fair, Marbella.
Jun 14-24: San Juán Festival, Javea.
Jul 6-14: San Fermín (Running of the Bulls), Pamplona.
Jul 11: San Beneitino de Leire (traditional festival), Pontevedra.
Jul 16: Sea Festival, Fuengirola.
Jul 22-27: Jazz Festival, San Sebastián.
Aug 20-28: Aste Nagusia, Bilbao.
Aug 31: La Tomatina, Buñol.
Sep 24: La Merced, Barcelona.
Oct 2-3: Moors and Christians, Benidorm.
Oct 6-12: Fuengirola Fair.
Oct 28-30: Saffron Festival, Consuegra.
Nov: Benidorm Festival.
Dec 28: The Verdiales (popular music festival), Malaga.
Note:: Carnival celebrations start around
Feb 8: and last for up to two weeks. Although Carnival is celebrated nationwide, the most famous carnival celebrations are held in the capitals of the Canary Islands - Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. For a full list of Carnival events and dates, contact the Spanish National Tourist Office (see General Info section).
Contact Information:
Location
Western Europe.
Country dialing code
34.
Dirección General de Turespaña
Jose Lázaro 6, 28071 Madrid, Spain
Tel: (91) 343 3500. Fax: (91) 343 3446 or 3500.
E-mail: infotur.spain@tourspain.es or info@spain.info
Website: www.spain.info
Spanish Embassy
39 Chesham Place, London SW1X 8SB, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 5555. Fax: (020) 7259 5392.
E-mail: embespuk@mail.mae.es
Website: www.mae.es
Spanish Consulate
20 Draycott Place, London SW3 2RZ, UK
Tel: (020) 7589 8989 or (0906) 550 8970 (recorded visa information; calls cost £1 per minute) or (0906) 526 6666 (to order visa applications; calls cost £1.50 per minute). Fax: (020) 7581 7888.
E-mail: conspalon@mail.mae.es
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0915-1200 (closed Spanish national holidays; visa information by appointment only), Mon-Fri 0915-1415 (Spanish nationals only), Sat 1000-1200 (Spanish nationals only).
By appointment only.
Consulates in: Edinburgh and Manchester.
Spanish National Tourist Office
2nd Floor, New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XB, UK
Tel: (020) 7486 8077 or (0906) 364 0630 (24-hour brochure request line; calls cost 60p per minute). Fax: (020) 7486 8034.
E-mail: info.londres@tourspain.es
Website: www.spain.info
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0915-1615.
British Embassy
Calle de Fernando el Santo 16, 28010 Madrid, Spain
Tel: (91) 700 8200 or 319 0200 or 524 9700 (consular section) or 9727 (visa section). Fax: (91) 700 8210.
E-mail: enquiries.madrid@fco.gov.uk
Website: www.ukinspain.com
British Consulate General
Paseo de Recoletos 7-9, 4th Floor, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Tel: (91) 524 9700. Fax: (91) 524 9730.
E-mail: madridconsulate@ukinspain.com
Website: www.ukinspain.com
Consulates also in: Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Ibiza, Las Palmas (Grand Canaria), Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands).
Honorary Consulates in: Benidorm, Cadiz, Menorca, Santander, Seville and Vigo.
Embassy and Consulate of the Kingdom of Spain
2375 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
Tel: (202) 452 0100. Fax: (202) 833 5670 or 728 2302.
E-mail: embespus@mail.mae.es
Website: www.spainemb.org
Consulates in: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Puerto Rico, San Francisco and Washington.
Spanish Tourist Office
666 Fifth Avenue, Btwn 52nd and 53rd Street, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10103, USA
Tel: (212) 265 8822. Fax: (212) 265 8864.
E-mail: oetny@tourspain.es
Website: www.okspain.org
Offices also in: Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami.
Embassy of the United States of America
Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Tel: (91) 587 2200. Fax: (91) 587 2303.
E-mail: amemb@embusa.es
Website: www.embusa.es
Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain
74 Stanley Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 1P4, Canada
Tel: (613) 747 2252 or 7293. Fax: (613) 744 1224.
E-mail: embespca@mail.mae.es
Consulates General in: Montréal and Toronto.
Spanish Tourist Office
2 Bloor Street West, Suite 3402, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2, Canada
Tel: (416) 961 3131. Fax: (416) 961 1992.
E-mail: toronto@tourspain.es
Website: www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca
Canadian Embassy
Street address: Calle Nuñez de Balboa 35, 28001 Madrid, Spain
Postal address: Apartado 587, 28080 Madrid, Spain; Apartado 117, 28080 Madrid, Spain (commercial section).
Tel: (91) 423 3250. Fax: (91) 423 3251.
E-mail: mdrid@international.gc.ca
Website: www.canada-es.org
Consulates in: Barcelona and Málaga. |
