Spain is a country in southwestern Europe, occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula and sharing borders with Portugal, France, and Andorra. It is renowned for its vibrant culture, including flamenco music and dance, bullfighting traditions, and world-class cuisine. Spain is also home to a remarkable variety of landscapes, from the Pyrenees mountains to Mediterranean beaches and semi-arid plains.
- Capital
- Madrid
- Continent
- Europe
- Region
- Southern Europe
- Area
- 505,992 km²
- Coordinates
- 40° N, 4° W
Country facts
- Spanish, also called Castilian, is the official language and is the second most spoken native language in the world.
- Spain was united as a kingdom in 1479 when Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile joined their crowns through marriage.
- The country is home to the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, a famous basilica designed by architect Antoni Gaudí that remains unfinished to this day.
- Spain has one of the richest traditions of cave art in the world, with the Altamira cave paintings dating back around 14,000 years.
- The Running of the Bulls, held during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona each July, is one of Spain's most internationally recognized traditions.
Capital facts
- Madrid sits at roughly 667 metres above sea level, making it the highest capital city in the European Union.
- The Prado Museum in Madrid houses one of the finest collections of European art in the world, including masterworks by Velázquez and Goya.
- Madrid became the permanent capital of Spain in 1561 when King Philip II moved the royal court there.
- The Puerta del Sol, a central square in Madrid, is the symbolic heart of the city and the point from which distances across Spain are measured.
- Real Madrid, one of the most successful football clubs in history, was founded in the city in 1902.