Full name: Kingdom of Spain
Capital: Madrid
The largest city: Madrid
Currency: Euro
Total area: 504 645 km²
Population: 46 464 053
Official language: Spanish
Regional languages: Catalan, Basque, Galician
Monarch: Felipe VI
Government: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Spain is located on the
Iberian Peninsula in
southwestern Europe,
with two large
archipelagos, the
Balearic Islands in the
Mediterranean Sea and
the Canary Islands in
the North African
Atlantic coast, two cities
Ceuta and Melilla in the
North African mainland
and several small
islands in the Alboran
sea near the Moroccan
coast.
Flag
Rectangle divided into three
horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red.
On the left side in the middle of the
yellow strip there is coat of arms. It is
believed that the colors represent:
red- the blood of toreador, yellow- the
sand of the arena or just these colors
are related to the oldest Spanish
kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon and
Navarre.
Coat of arms
On each side od Spain’s coat of arms is the
Pillars of Hercules, which historically represent
the Strait of Gibraltar. Each column is covered
by a ribbon about midway across stating the
Latin motto "Plus Ultra," meaning "further
beyond." In between the columns is a shield
consisting of six parts. The top left represents
the Kingdom of Castile, the top right represents
the Kingdom of Leon, the bottom left
represents the Crown of Aragon and the
bottom right represents the Kingdom of
Navarre. In the middle of these four images is a
circle with three fleurs de lis which represent
the Anjou section of the House of Bourbon. The
Kingdom of Granada is represented at the
bottom of the shield. A crown, representing the
Crown of Spain, tops off the entire coat of
arms.
Religion
Catholicism:
No religion:
*68% of the
population are
catholics (Jacob
Apostle is the
patron of Spain).
*27% of the
population
professes no
religion.
Holidays
New Year’s Day (Año Nuevo)
* Like most other countries, Spain officially
recognizes the first day of the new calendar year as a
holiday. New Year's Day is traditionally observed at
the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve by
consuming 12 grapes. The significance of the 12 has
to do with the months, of course, and the grapes
themselves are intended to ensure happiness each
month. Spaniards celebrate New Year's Day with
fireworks but also by eating chocolate with fritters,
or chocolate con churros.
Chocolate con churros
Semana Santa
Semana Santa, a week of
feasting and Roman Catholic
processions leading up to
Easter. Holy Week in Seville
features masked parades
and enormous floats with
Roman Catholic figures.
La feria de Abril
Hundreds of tents and amusement park rides
are set up for Seville's week-long Feria. The
fairgrounds swell with locals dressed in
traditional garb and booths selling libations and
food. Live music fills the night air, and a festive
mood prevails. Fireworks signal the final night of
the celebration, sending the crowds into
frenzied flamenco dancing.
Famous people
Penélope Cruz
* She is a Spanish
actress and model.
Antonio Banderas
* He is a Spanish actor,
director and producer.
Enrique Iglesias
*He is a Spanish singer,
songwriter, actor and
record producer.
Spanish cuisine
Paella
* It is Spanish
dish with lots of
rice, seafood
and vegetables.
Tortilla
* It is Spanish dish
with eggs, onions
and potatoes.
Gazpacho
* It is Spanish cold
soup with tomatoes
and peppers.
Spanish beverages
Horchata de
chufa
* It is Spanish
cold milky drink
made of green
almonds.
Sangria
* It is Spanish red
wine with pieces
of fruit, sugar and
lemonade.
Café con leche
* It is Spanish large
coffee which consists
of 50% milk and 50%
coffee.
1. Spanish is in the top five the most commonly used languages all over the world.
2. The Spanish brought to Europe: potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, cocoa and
sweetcorn.
3. The full name of the famous painter Pablo Picasso is: Pablo Diego José Francisco
de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Maria de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santisima
Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso.
4. The most popular sport in Spain is corrida (bullfight).
5. The mop and beret were invented by Spanish.
6. Lollipops Chupa-Chups are from Spain.
7. Spain is the warmest country in Europe.
8. The Spanish have more cars than mobile phones.
9. In Spain you have two surnames – the first surname from your father and the
second from your mother.
10.The national anthem of Spain has no words.
11.The Sagrada Familia (church in Barcelona) has been under construction for over
130 years and it is only expected to be complete by 2026.
Famous for…
Siesta
* Siestas are afternoon
naps and everyone in
Spain loves them. In this
time shops, government
offices and local offices
are closed.
La Sagrada Familia
*La Sagrada Familia is a
Roman-Catholic church
situated in Barcelona. It
has been under
construction for over
130 years and it is only
expected to be complete
by 2026.
Spanish football
* Spain has many clubs but the
top two are of course – Real
Madrid and Barcelona. They are
the richest and the best clubs in
the country and are always
trying to outshine one another.
Places worth visiting
Playa de la Barceloneta
* On this beach you can relax and
admire the beautiful views.
Camp Nou
* It is the largest
football Stadium
in Europe
(Barcelona).
Museu Picasso
* Located in Barcelona. There is the
most extensive collection of artworks
by the 20th-century Spanish artist Pablo
Picasso. With 4,251 works exhibited by
the painter, the museum has one of
the most complete permanent
collections of works.
Lince (Lynx)
Puerco espin (Porcupine)
Chacal (Jackal)
Zeneta (Genet)
Thank you for watching:
by Paulina Targońska kl.IIIc