Valladolid is an industrial city and it is a municipality in north-central Spain, upon the Pisuerga River and within the Ribera del Duero wine-making region. It is the capital of the province of Valladolid and of the autonomous community of Castile and Leon, therefore is part of the historical region of Castile.
HISTORICAL TIMES
Valladolid was captured from the Moors in the tenth century, being a small village improved by count Pedro Ansúrez in the eleventh century; in 1469 Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon were married in the city and by the fifteenth century it was the residence of the kings of Castile and remained the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until 1561, when Philip II,born here, moved the capital to Madrid. Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506 in a house which is now a Museum dedicated to him. It was made the capital of the kingdom again between 1601 and 1606 by Philip III. It was in that period when Cervantes published his first edition of Don Quixote in 1604. The city nonetheless boasts few architectural manifestations of its former glory. Some monuments include the unfinished cathedral, the church of Santa Maria la Antigua, the Plaza Mayor (the template for that of Madrid and of future main squares in the Castilian-speaking world), the National Sculpture Museum, next to the church of Saint Paul, which includes Spain's greatest collections of polychrome wood sculptures, and the Faculty of Law of the University of Valladolid, whose façade is one of the few surviving works by Narciso Tomei, the same artist who did the transparente in Toledo Cathedral. The Science Museum is next to Pisuerga river. The only surviving house of Miguel de Cervantes is also located in Valladolid. Although unfinished, Cathedral of Valladolid was designed by Juan de Herrera, architect of El Escorial.
Valladolid is an economic motor of the autonomous community, having an important automobile industry (IVECO, FASA-Renault, Michelin). There is an airport at nearby Villanubla, with connections to London-Stansted, Paris, Brussels-Charleroi, Milan, Lisbon, Barcelona and Vigo.
SEMINCI The city is also host to one of the foremost (and oldest) international film festivals, the Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid (Seminci), founded in 1956.
SPORTSValladolid is represented in La Liga, the top football league in Spain, with their own club, Real Valladolid, or Pucela as they are nicknamed. Valladolid also has an handball team in the ASOBAL, two rugby teams and one basketball team.
Rafael NadalParera (IPA: (born 3 June 1986, Mallorca) is a Spanish professional tennis player who has been ranked World No. 1 since 18 August 2008. He has won five Grand Slam singles titles and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. He has captured the last four French Open singles titles, joining Björn Borg in 2008 as the only men to have won four consecutive singles titles there. In 2008, Nadal became the second Spaniard to win Wimbledon. Nadal is the only player in the open era to have won the French Open, the AEGON Championships (held at Queen's Club on grass beginning the day after the French Open), and Wimbledon in the same year.
For much of his career, Nadal has had a rivalry with Roger Federer, which many critics consider to be the greatest rivalry in tennis history. They are the only men in the open era who have played each other in six Grand Slam finals,] with Nadal winning four of those matches. Nadal was ranked World No. 2 behind Federer for a record 160 weeks before earning the top spot. Nadal has won 12 of their 18 singles matches.
He has been especially successful on clay courts. He has a 22–1 record in clay court tournament finals and is undefeated in 43 best-of-five-set matches on clay. In each of the last four years, he has won both the French Open and two clay court Masters Series tournaments. He also owns the longest single-surface winning streak in the open era, having won 81 consecutive matches on clay from April 2005 to May 2007. As a result, some tennis critics and top players already regard him as the greatest clay-court player of all time. On 18 October 2008, Nadal clinched the year-end World No. 1 ranking for 2008. The same year, he was given the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for his achievements in sports.
Legend
Grand Slam Tournaments (5) Tennis Masters Cup (0) Olympic Gold (1) ATP Masters Series (12) ATP Tour (13)
The oldest historical findings made in Spain dateof about 30000 to 50000 b.C. Among the most important remains of this period are the cavesCova Negra (Játiva) and Piñar (Granada).
The Celt-Iberian Spain
The Iberian population probably arrived to the peninsula from the north of Africa. Tartessos, probably an iberian tribe, founded an importantkingdom of high culture in the valley of Guadalquivir river, in the south of Spain. By 1200 b.C. Celtic tribes entered the peninsula from the north, mixing up with Iberians and so generating the celt-iberian race. The origin of the bask race living in the north of the country is uncertain, but many historians suppose that it goes back to a pre-iberian population.
Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians
By 1100 b.C. Phoenicians arrived to the peninsula and founded colonies, the most important of which was Gadir (today's Cadiz). Also Greeks founded colonies in southern Spain and along the Mediterranean coast.
During the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthago Carthaginians invaded Spain and conquered large parts of it. Their most important colonies were the island Ibiza and Cartagena, the "new Carthago".
Romans and Goths
After Rome had defeated Carthago definitely, Romans also invaded the colonies in Spain, and ended up conquering the entire peninsula. The province Hispania became part and parcel of Roman empire and acquired great importance, even two Roman emperors, Traian and Hadrian, were born there. Spaniards absorbed completely the Roman culture as still today is very evident in their language.
In 409, when the Roman empire started to fall, Gothic tribes invaded the peninsula and established their kingdom in 419.
Moorish Epoch and Reconquista
Gothic dominance lasted until 711, when Muslim armies crossed the Straight of Gibraltar and defeated Roderic, the last Visigoth king. Specially the southern parts of Spain, called al-Andalus, were prospering in the Moorish epoch, thanks to new sciences and agricultural technics. The Moors conquered major parts of the country until they were defeated for the first time by Visigoth king Pelayo at Covadonga in northern Spain, 722.
Though the small Christian kingdoms in the north were a nucleus of resistence, the Arabian culture was prospering in the rest of the country. The Muslim Spain by the time got politically independent of the Arabian empire, and in 10th century Abderraman III. made Al-Andalus his own caliphate. In this epoch Cordoba was the indisputable cultural center of this area of the world. Decadence started in 11th century, when the various Arabian noble families were more and more at variance among themselves, and al-Andalus broke into numerous small caliphates. The Christian kingdoms in the north started then the reconquest of Spain. The marriage between Isabel of Castilia and Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469, uniting the two most important among them, was the turning point of the Reconquista. From now on Muslims rapidly lost territory, until they were definitely expelled when they lost their last remaining caliphate, Granada, in 1492.
The Catholic Monarchs
Isabel and Ferdinand succeeded in uniting the whole country under their crown, and their effort to "re-christianize" Spain resulted in the Spanish Inquisition, when thousands of Jews and Moors who didn't want to convert to Christianism were expelled or killed.
After the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 tons of gold and silver were brought in from the new continent, and Spain became one of the most powerful nations of this epoch called the Golden Age.
Habsburg and Borbon Kings
After Isabel died in 1504, her daughter Joan who was married with the German emperor's son Philip succeeded to the throne. Charles I., at the same time Austrian king and German emperor united in 1517 one of the largest empires in history. Anyhow after his retirement in 1556 it was split between the Spanish and the Austrian line of Habsburg family.
Spain was prospering economically under the Habsburg crown thanks to the trade with its American colonies, but on the hand involved in wars with France, the Netherlands and England, culminating in the disastrous defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588.
When the last Habsburg King Charles II. died without descendant, the nephew of French King Louis XIV., Philip of Borbon, successed to the throne. As a consequence of the French Revolution, Spain declared war on the new republic but was defeated.
Napoleon took the power in France and sent his troops against Spain in 1808. He established his brother Joseph as Spanish king, but Spaniards fought a 5-year Independence War against the French.
After Napoleon's definite defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Ferdinand VII. was restored to the Spanish throne and reigned with rigid absolutism. When he changed the law of succession to the throne and his daughter Isabel was established as queen, his brother Charles rebelled against it and the War of Seven Years broke out. Economical recession and political instability were the consequences, Spain lost its colonies with the exceptions of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Philippines. The revolution of 1868 forced Isabel II. to renounce to the throne, and the First Republic was proclaimed. Anyhow, it lasted for just about one year. After a coup d'état Isabel's son, Alphonse XII., restored the kingdom. The rebellion of Cuba in 1895 resulted in a war against United States, with disastrous results for Spain. It lost its last overseas possessions.
20th Century
The economical crisis of the early 1920s led the country to the brink of civil war, and General Primo de Ribera established a military dictature until 1930. Elections in 1931 saw a triumph for the political left, and Alphonse XIII. left the country. Increasing conflicts between the Republican government and the Nationalist opposition led to the Spanish Civil War (1936-39).
The Nationalists, led by General Franco, received extensive support from Nazi-Germany and fascist Italy and succeeded against the Republican block which was officially supported only by Russia, although many intellectuals (as Ernest Hemingway) and politically committed from other countries fought in the International Brigades. The nationalists succeeded.
Although Franco kept Spain neutral during World War II, his military dictature led to political and economical isolation. During the 1950s and 60s every effort was taken to improve international relations, and the country's economy recovered. In 1969 Franco proclaimed Juan Carlos de Borbon, the grandson of Alphonse XIII., his successor with the title of king.
Franco died in 1975, and a constitutional monarchy was established. President Adolfo Suarez introduced important political reforms. When he surprisingly dismissed in 1981, a group of militars tried to take the power with a coup, but failed. In 1982 the socialist party won the elections and Felipe Gonzalez became president of the government. Spain became member of the NATO in 1985 and entered the European Community in 1986. In 1992 it appeared impressively at the world stage: Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, Seville the world exposition EXPO'92, and Madrid was declared European Cultural Capital.
21st century
On 1 January 2002, Spain terminated its peseta currency and replaced it with the euro, which it shares with 14 other countries in the Eurozone. Spain has also seen strong economic growth, well above the EU average, but concerns are growing that the extraordinary property boom and high foreign trade deficits of recent years may bring this to an end.
A series of bombs exploded in commuter trains in Madrid, Spain on 11 March 2004. After a five month trial in 2007 it was concluded the bombings were perpetrated by a local Islamist militant group inspired by al-Qaeda. The bombings killed 191 people and wounded more than 1800, and the intention of the perpetrators may have been to influence the outcome of the Spanish general election, held three days later. Though initial suspicions focused on the Basque group ETA, evidence soon emerged indicating possible Islamist involvement.
Because of the proximity of the election, the issue of responsibility quickly became a political controversy, with the main competing parties PP and PSOE exchanging accusations over the handling of the aftermath. At the 14 March elections, PSOE, led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, obtained a relative majority, enough to form a new cabinet with Rodríguez Zapatero as the new Presidente del Gobierno or prime minister of Spain, thus succeeding the former PP administration.
No one has surpassed him and the guitar-playing world would be incomprehensible without him. He revolutionized flamenco guitar playing and accompaniment by bringing novel chords and rhythmic counterpoint to his musical expression, and contributed to the renewal of flamenco by integrating sounds and instruments from other forms of music. He is the premier flamenco guitarist in Spain, Paco de Lucia. Francisco Sánchez Gómez was born in Algeciras, a city in the province of Cádiz, in the Southern tip of Spain on December 21st, 1947. His stage name is homage to his mother Lucia Gómez. In 1958, at only age 11, de Lucia made his first public appearance and a year later he was awarded a special prize in the Jerez flamenco competition. At 14 he was touring with the flamenco troupe of dancer Jose Greco; it was while on tour in the United States that he met the great guitarist Sabicas, an influential guitarist, who encouraged him to pursue a more personal style. Back in Spain, he joined Festival Flamenco Gitano, an annual flamenco showcase tour that lasted for seven years. He recorded his first album in 1964, at the age of 18. After his first solo record, success arrived in 1967 with “La Fabulosa Guitarra de Paco de Lucia.” With this record de Lucia began to distance himself from the influence of past, he had defined his own style. His superb technique was displayed in well structured pieces that departed from the flamenco tradition of theme and variations.
In 1968, he met Camarón de la Isla, consider the most popular and influential flamenco "cantaor" (singer) of the modern period. Although their work brought criticism from some traditionalists, they were the first to feature an electric bass, drums, and saxophone in his songs. Their association has been chronicled on more than 10 records. Each step of this perfect couple generated passions even as deep in his detractors as in his followers. Paco de Lucía said: "While others sang songs with social contents, Camarón's cracked voice could evoke on its own the desperation of a people"
His creative genius and mastery of the instrument has led to Flamenco entering into a dialogue with the Spanish classical music composers: Falla, Rodrigo and Albéniz, with the bossa nova and jazz: Chick Corea, John McLaughlan, Larry Coryell, Al DiMeola and with many others. He is also credited for introducing the Peruvian cajon (a wood percussion box) into flamenco, as he brought one back to Spain after his many travels worldwide. The "cajon" is now usual for the new generation of musicians.
“The training ground for a flamenco guitarist,” de Lucia once said, “is the music around you, made by people you see, the people you make music with. You learn it from your family, from your friends, in la “juerga” (the party) drinking. And then you work on technique. Guitarists do not need to study. And, as it is with any music, the great ones will spend some time working with the young players who show special talent. You must understand that a Gypsy's life is a life of anarchy. That is a reason why the way of flamenco music is a way without discipline, as you know it. We don't try to organize things with our minds; we don't go to school to find out. We just live... music is everywhere in our lives.”
Bullfighting is the most traditional of Spanish Fiestas. The Spanish people consider them art forms which are intimately linked with their country’s history, art and culture. Bullfighting can be traced back to ancient days. They were popular spectacles in ancient Rome, but it was in the Iberian Peninsula that these contests were fully developed by the Moors from North Africa who overran Andalucia in AD 711. Bullfighting developed into a ritualistic occasion observed in connection with feast days, on which the conquering Moors, mounted on highly trained horses, confronted and killed the bulls. Today bullfighting is big business in Spain with the top matadores earning comparable salaries to the nation's top soccer stars and rock idols.
Flamenco Dancing
Flamenco is the traditional song and dance of the Gypsies (flamencos) of Andalusia. Its history can be traced over several centuries from Gypsy, Moorish, Andalucian, and other roots. Its evolution is a source of great debate with no accepted explanation of how flamenco resulted from the cultural influences of such diverse regions as North Africa, Southern Europe and the Near and Far East. Flamenco has never been more popular in Spain and abroad than it is today with a new generation of new flamenco performers in the post-Franco era who have broadened flamenco's appeal to an international audience.
Spanish Festivals
Spain is the land of fiestas. In every single city, town and village there is a festival of some kind which gets all the townsfolk out on the streets partying with their neighbours. The biggest festivals of international fame are the bullrunning of Pamplona, the fireworks of Las Fallas in Valencia, the mock battles of Moros y Cristianos in Alcoy, Semana Santa in all of Andalucia and the massive Feria de Abril in Seville.
Spain:Land of Wines and Great Cuisine
“Life is a journey of discovery and Spain has given me some of the greatest discoveries in my professional life. The idea that there is a young generation of men and women heading major wineries and that they are committed to making great wines is just huge” Influences from the Mediterranean cultures of Phoenicia, Carthage, Greece, and Rome established a tradition of grape growing and wine production that flourished until the 8th Century Moorish conquest.Spain has the largest wine-growing area in the world. In spite of this, the country is the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest being Italy and France.Spain exports a third of its production, particularly to the USA, the UK and Germany and is capturing the attention of many wine enthusiasts.
Spanish cooking has popular roots. It is the people’s cuisine. Most of it is down-to-earth, uncomplicated food, based on the ingredients available locally or the crops grown regionally. Mountains run through Spain in several directions, acting as natural barriers to communication and making transportation difficult until the last half of the 20th century. This is one of the reasons why cooking differs so much from region to region. Many dishes are prepared today using the same cooking methods and ingredients as they were two or three hundred years ago. Other dishes sprung up from European and American influences and were adapted to the Spanish taste. One thing is for sure, food in Spain is fresh, abundant and full of taste and the Spanish love their food dearly.
Ingredients & Typical Food
The two basic ingredients of all Spanish food are olive oil and garlic. However, because Spain has very distinct geographical regions, settled by different ethnic and cultural groups, and because the weather is so different from province to province, the regional cuisines are very different. Many times the only common ingredients are olive oil and garlic!
Here is a list of typical ingredients and foods:
Olive oil: Spanish recipes either call for olive oil or lard, mainly olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is worth the added expense. Spain is a leading producer of olive oil and olives are grown all over the south of Spain.
Ham: or as the Spanish say, jamón is a very prized food. Spaniards take their ham very seriously and will pay a high price for top-quality ham. There is even a denomination of origin for certain types of ham!
Fish and Seafood: Because Spain is surrounded on three sides by water, fresh seafood is always plentiful in the markets and is eaten daily.
As you can see ... SPAIN is everything under the sun!!!
Spanish language is a member of the family of so-called Romance languages. Other Romance languages include Portuguese, French, Italian, Rumanian, Catalan and Galician. These languages, which have their roots in Latin, are grouped together because of their shared basic vocabulary. They developed as a result of the expansion of the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean about 2000 years ago. But Spain also has three other officially recognized languages. Here is a brief look at those languages:
Catalan Language in Spain
Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balaeric Islands, some parts of south-east France and the country of Andorra. About seven million people speak the language. Catalan is intelligible when written down if you speak Spanish (and/or French) but the pronunciation is quite different. Catalan looks something like a cross between Spanish and French, although it is a major language in its own right and, some say, may be more similar to Italian than it is to Spanish.
Basque Language in Spain The Basque language (euskara) is spoken in the Basque Country and Navarra, as well as some parts of south-west France. Approximately one million people speak the language. It is completely different to any other language you will have heard before. Euskara is easily the most unusual language of Spain — and an unusual language for Europe as well, since it doesn't fit in the Indo-European family of languages that includes Spanish as well as French, English and the other Romance and Germanic languages. What makes Euskara linguistically interesting is that it has not been shown conclusively to be related to any other language. The fact that Euskara is an ergative language (a linguistic term involving cases of nouns and their relations to verbs) has caused some linguists to think that Euskara may have come from the Caucasus region, although the relationship with languages of that area hasn't been demonstrated. In any case, it is likely that Euskara, or least the language it developed from, has been in the area for thousands of years, and at one time it was spoken in a much larger region.
Galician Language in Spain Galician is spoken in Galicia. Approximately three million people speak the language. It is the closest to Spanish of the three regional languages in Spain. Galician has strong similarities to Portuguese, especially in vocabulary and syntax. It developed along with Portuguese until the 14th century, when a split developed, largely for political reasons.
Miscellaneous languages Scattered throughout Spain are a variety of smaller ethnic groups with their own languages, most of them Latin derivatives. Among them are Aragonese, Asturian , Mallorquín, Menorquin, Ibizenco, Valencian (usually considered a dialect of Catalan).
Sample vocabularies Euskara: kaixo (hello), eskerrik asko (thank you), bai (yes), ez (no), etxe (house), esnea (milk), bat (one), jatetxea (restaurant) Catalan: sí (yes), si us plau (please), què tal? (how are you?), cantar (to sing), cotxe (car), l'home (the man), llengua, llengo (language), mitjanit (midnight) Galician: polo (chicken), día (day), ovo (egg), amar (love), si (yes), nom (no), ola (hello), amigo/amiga (friend), cuarto de baño, baño (bathroom), comida (food)
Joan Miro was born April 20, 1893 in Barcelona, Spain. Miro is one of the great pioneers of modern art. Miro began drawing at a young age as a way to escape the strictures of family life. His choice of motifs - tufts of grass, insects, tiny birds - revealed an early affinity for the organic, a love, as one commentator says, of "the little things" of this world. After finishing his military service Miro worked in an office, and attended crafts courses in his spare time. "I was a paragon of awkwardness," he confessed. In painting, too, judged by academic standards, Miro was entirely unsuccessful.
Joan Miro Ferra, the future artist was the son of a goldsmith and the grandson of a blacksmith. His mother was from the nearby Balearic Island of Majorca, and her father was a cabinetmaker. No doubt this heritage of craftsmanship had an impact on his desire and aptitude to become an artist. As a boy, Miro divided his time between Barcelona and Majorca, places steeped in the proud traditions and culture of Catalonia, a province in the northeast of Spain, strongly influenced by France, which has long sought its independence.
As a Catalan child at the turn of the century, he was imbued with a rich tapestry of folklore and fantasy that enriched his dreams and later informed his paintings. Miro, who was notoriously taciturn, is quoted as saying, "When I see a tree, for instance a carob tree, which is a very typical tree at home in Catalonia, I feel that tree is talking to me. It has eyes. One can talk to it. A tree is also a human being and so is a pebble."
In 1919, Joan Miro traveled to Paris, where he met Pablo Picasso and made friends with him.
Joan Miro (1893-1983) ranksamong the most importantartists of the 20th century.
An inventive and imaginative painter, sculptor, ceramicist and printmaker, he changed forever the course of modern art. Although he derived his own visual vocabulary from nature, his works are frequently viewed as interesting abstract compositions, an effect that is enhanced by his vivid palette.
Joan Miro died on December 25, 1983, in Spain.
Upon his death in 1983, Miró left the world a rich legacy of works executed in many media and spanning eight decades.
Spanish Art Galleries and Artists Spain is home to some of the greatest artists and its cities are some of Europe's top destinations for art enthusiasts. Spain's most celebrated Renaissance was the Cretian El Greco who moved to Toledo where most of his main works were produces and can be seen throughout Spain most notably in the churches of Toledo and in the Prado Museumin Madrid. The greatest Spanish painter in history was Diego Velazquez who is well represented in the Prado with works spanning his career including the masterpiece 'Las Meninas'. The Prado is also the place to go to see some of the principal works of Francisco Goya.
For 20th century art Catalunya is the place to visit. Barcelona is home to the renowned Picasso Museum though his most famous work, 'Guernica', is in Madrid's Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The Fundació Joan Miró and some excellent Catalan galleries are also in Barcelona whilst famous Dalí Museum. As well as Madrid and Barcelona an art tour of Spain would not be complete without a visit to the Guggenheim Museumin Bilbao and in recent times Valencia has become a new destination on the European art circuit.
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Spanish (Castilian), Basque, Catalana, Valencian, Galician.
GOVERMENT: Parliamentary democracy (José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero) and
Constituconal Monarchy (Juan Carlos I).
TOTAL AREA: 504.030 km2
CURRENCY: Euro
MAIN CITIES:
Madrid (3.232.460)
Barcelona (1.595.110)
Valencia (797.650)
Sevilla (699.140)
Zaragoza (654.390)
Spainis a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco.
SPANISHGEOGRAPHY
SPAIN IS THE WORLD'S 51ST-LARGEST COUNTRY WITH 504,782 KM² AND OCCUPIES THE MOST OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA, TWO GROUPS OF ISLANDS (BALEARIC AND CANARY ISLANDS) AND TWO CITIES (CEUTA AND MELILLA) ON THE MOROCCAN NORTH COAST. THE SOUTHERN EXTREMITY OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA, (GIBRALTAR) BELONGS TO THE GREAT BRITAIN.
THE IBERIAN PENINSULA IS ALL SURRONDED BY SEA EXCEPT IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE IT’S THE BORDER WITH FRANCE. IN THE NORTH THERE IS THE CANTABRIC SEA; IN THE EAST IT’S THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, IN THE WEST THERE IS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND IN THE SOUTH THERE ARE THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, BOTH SEPARATED BY THE PROVINCE OF CADIZ IN ITS MOST SOUTHERLY POINT.
Mountains:
THE HIGHEST PEAK OF SPAIN IS THE TEIDE (TENERIFE, CANARY ISLAND) AND THE BIGGEST GROUP OF MOUNTAINS ARE THE PYRENEES THAT CONFORM THE BORDER WITH FRANCE. THE HIGHEST PEAK OF THE PENINSULA IS THE MULHACEN IN SIERRA NEVADA (GRANADA, ANDALUCIA).
Rivers:
THE LONGEST RIVER OF SPAIN IS THE RIVER EBRO AND THE LONGEST RIVER OF THE IBEREAN PENINSULA IS THE TAJO (TAGUS). OTHER MAIN RIVERS ARE DUERO, MIÑO, GUADIANA AND GUADALQUIVIR.
SPANISH CLIMATE
SPAIN EXPERIENCES EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE AND GENERALLYLOW RAINFALL (LESS THAN 610 MM) EXCEPT FOR IN THE NORTH. ALONG THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC COAST THE CLIMATE IS USUALLY QUITE DAMP AND COOL. THE CENTRAL PLATEAU HAS VERY HOT, DRY SUMMERS AND DROUGHT IS COMMON. IN MADRID THE LOCAL SAYING IS THAT THE CLIMATE IS "9 MONTHS OF WINTER AND 3 MONTHS OF HELL" WHICH DESCRIBES THE FREEZING WINTERS AND SCORCHING SUMMERS. IN SEVILLE, CORDOBA AND GRANADA TEMPERATURES REACHED 50ºC (OVER 120ºF) IN THE SUMMER OF 2003, FOREST FIRES CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE. ON THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN COAST A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE PREVAILS WITH MÁLAGA ENJOYING AN AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURE OF 14°C (57°F).
ECONOMY
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD BANK, SPAIN'S ECONOMY IS THE EIGHTH LARGEST WORLDWIDE AND THE FIFTH LARGEST IN EUROPE. AS OF 2007, ABSOLUTE GDP WAS VALUED AT $1,439,000 TRILLION ACCORDING TO THE CIA FACTBOOK,. THE PER CAPITA PPP IS ESTIMATED AT $33,600 (2007), AHEAD OF G7 COUNTRIES LIKE ITALY AT $30,900 (2007), FRANCE AT $32,600 (2007), OR JAPAN AT $33,500 (2007). THE SPANISH ECONOMY GREW 3.8% IN 2007 OUTPACING ALL G7 MEMBERS AND ALL THE BIG EU ECONOMIES FOR THE 3RD CONSECUTIVE YEAR. SPAIN IS ALSO THE 3RD LARGEST WORLD INVESTOR .
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PLATEAU HAS VERY HOT, DRY SUMMERS AND DROUGHT IS COMMON. IN MADRID THE LOCAL SAYING IS THAT THE CLIMATE IS "9 MONTHS OF WINTER AND 3 MONTHS OF HELL" WHICH DESCRIBES THE FREEZING WINTERS AND SCORCHING SUMMERS. IN SEVILLE, CORDOBA AND GRANADA TEMPERATURES REACHED 50ºC (OVER 120ºF) IN THE SUMMER OF 2003, FOREST FIRES CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE. ON THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN COAST A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE PREVAILS WITH MÁLAGA ENJOYING AN AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURE OF 14°C (57°F). 
