ABOUT SPAIN

Geography.

Spain is probably Europe´s most geographically diverse country, ranging from the near-deserts of eastern Andalucia to the green countryside and deep coastal inlets of Galicia and from the sun-baked uplands of Castilla-La Mancha to the rugged, snow-capped Pyranees mountains in the north. It covers 84% of the Iberian peninsula and spreads over nearly 505,000 sq km making it the second biggest country in western Europe after France.

Population & People.

Spain has a total population of approximately 41 million - less than four-fifths of a spaniard for each of the more than 50 million visitors who flood into the country each year ! The most striking thing about the Spanish population is its slow rate of growth. Spain has the lowest birth rate in the world with an annual population increase of about 1.2 %. Along with Portugal, the Spanish are the shortest people in Europe and among the slimmest. It is one of Europe´s least densely populated countries, with about 77 people per square kilometre with most of the population prefering to live in cities, towns or villages, a habit that probably goes back to past needs for defence and must have alot to do with their gregarious nature.

Useful Info.

Business Hours - generally Spaniards work Mon - Fri from about 9 am to 2 pm and then again from 4.30 or 5 pm for another three hours. Shops and travel agents are usually open these hours on Saturdays too, though some may skip the evening session. Many government offices don´t bother opening in the afternoon any day of the year.

Public Holidays - there are at least 14 official holidays a year, some observed nationwide, some locally. When a holiday falls close to a weekend, Spaniards like to make a puente (bridge) meaning they take the intervening day off too. National holidays are: Año Nuevo (New Years Day) -1 January / Viernes Santo (Good Friday) March or April / Fiesta del Trabajo (Labour Day) - 1 May / La Asunciòn (Feast of the assumption) - 15 August / Fiesta Nacional de España (National Day) - 12 October / La Immaculada Concepciòn (Feast of the immaculate conception) - 8 December / Navidad (Christmas) - 25 December. Regional governments set 5 holidays and local councils 2 more, common dates include: Dia de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day or Epiphany) - 6 January / Dia de San Jose (St. Josephs Day) - 19 March / Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday) - March or April the day before Good Friday / Dia de San Juan Bautista (Feast of St. John the Baptist) - 24 June / Dia de Santiago Apòstol (Feast of St. James the Apostle, Spain´s patron saint) - 25 July / Dia de la Constituciòn (Constitution Day) - 6 December.