Spain+-+Angela+An

=media type="youtube" key="3kSCweaqYKs" height="315" width="560"= toc =**SPAIN**= Spain is one of the European high mountains countries. In modern history, Spain is an important cultural birthplace, and affect the world's global empire in the 16th century. Spain is mediumdeveloped industrial countries in the world today, with a sound market economy, its fross national product ranked in the forefront of European countries.

**National Flag**
Spain's national flag consists of the colors red and yellow. These two colors are the Spanish people's favorite colors. This flag is a symbol of the people's complete devotion to the motherland. The purple and white castle on the red and gold lion represent the Kingdom of Castile and Leon. The vertical red and yellow stripes are the colors of the Kingdom of Aragon. The red earth of gold chain network intersects vertical and horizontal Kingdom on behalf of Navarre, the bottom of the Kingdom of Granada on behalf of pomegranate.

Spain National Anthem
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Spain Interesting Facts
Official name: The Kingdom of Spain Capital of Spain: Madrid Population size: 44,7 million in 2006 Time zone: +1 GMT except Canary Islands +2 GMT Language: Spanish

National Spanish Public Holidays

 * **January 1** New Year's Day.
 * **January 6** Epiphany.
 * **Week Before Easter** Semana Santa - the later in the week you get, the more likely things will be closed - with Thursday, Friday and Sunday the most affected. Easter Monday is not a public holiday, except in Catalonia and Valencia.
 * **May 1** Workers' Day.
 * **August 15** Assumption of the Virgin.
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">**October 12** National Day.
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">**November 1** All Saints' Day
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">**December 6** Constitution Day
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">**December 8** Immaculate Conception
 * <span style="font-family: inherit; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; text-decoration: inherit;">**December 24** Navidad. Christmas Eve (Night) is far more important than Christmas Day in Spain. Shops may close early on Christmas Eve, though most will be open in the morning. Read more about Christmas in Spain

Sports

 * Sport in Spain ** in the second half of 20th century has always been dominated by football. Other popular sport activities include basketball, tennis, cycling, handball, motocycling, Formula One, water sports, golf and skiing.

football (Soccor)
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,宋体,sans-serif; text-align: right;">Futbol Club de Barcelona:

Famous Countryman
Full Name: Xavier Hernández i Creus Date of birth: 25 January 1980 (age 32) Place of birth: Terrassa, Spain Height: 1.7m (5 ft 7 in) Playing position: Midfielder Date of birth: 25 January 1980

City
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Madrid: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Madrid is an ex-convent schoolgirl, a rebellious teenager who pushed the boundaries of hedonism and then grew up and got sophisticated without ever forgetting how to have fun. That’s why this is a city as at home in the nightclubs and bars that five the streets their soundtrack as it is in the hallowed halls of high culture. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">

Barcelona:
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Set on a plain rising gently from the sea to a range of wooded hills, Barcelona is Spain's most cosmopolitan city and one of the Mediterranean's busiest ports. Restaurants, bars and clubs are always packed, as is the seaside in summer. The city's avant-garde chefs whip up a storm that has even the French reaching for superlatives. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Valencia: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">A warm climate, interesting cities and an abundance of seaside resorts make this area of Spain a popular destination. The beaches of the Costa Blanca (White Coast) draw most of the visitors, but venture beyond the shore to get a real feel for the region.

Socialist government wins sizeable majority. Spain joins Nato. Aznar's Popular Party (PP) wins landslide in general elections.
 * =Spain - Timeline= ||
 * ** A chronology of key events: **
 * 1936-39 ** - Spanish Civil War: more than 350,000 Spaniards killed.
 * 1939 ** - General Franco leads Nationalists to victory. Republicans are executed, jailed or exiled.
 * 1946-50 ** - Franco regime ostracised by United Nations; many countries cut off diplomatic relations.
 * 1955 ** - Spain admitted to UN.
 * 1959 ** - Eta is founded with the aim of creating an independent homeland in Spain's Basque region. The full name of the organisation - Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna - means Basque Fatherland and Freedom.
 * 1961 ** - Eta's violent campaign begins with an attempt to derail a train transporting politicians.
 * 1968 ** - West African colony of Spanish Guinea is granted independence as Equatorial Guinea.
 * 1973 ** December - Basque nationalists assassinate Prime Minister Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco in Madrid in retaliation for the government's execution of Basque militants.
 * Move to democracy **
 * 1975 ** 20 November - Franco dies. Succeeded as head of state by King Juan Carlos. With Juan Carlos on the throne, Spain makes transition from dictatorship to democracy.
 * 1977 ** June - First democratic elections in four decades.
 * 1978 ** - New constitution confirms Spain as a parliamentary monarchy. Eta's political wing, Herri Batasuna, is founded.
 * 1980 ** - 118 people are killed in Eta's bloodiest year so far.
 * 1981 ** February - Failed military coup.
 * 1982 ** - Coup plot by right-wing extremists discovered.
 * 1986 ** - Spain joins the EEC.
 * 1992 ** - Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona. Seville hosts Expo 92. Celebrations mark the 500th anniversary of Columbus's first voyage to America.
 * Aznar years **
 * 1995 ** - Leader of opposition Popular Party Jose Maria Aznar survives a car bomb blast.
 * 1996 ** March - Jose Maria Aznar becomes PM following a stability deal with moderate Catalan and Basque nationalists who hold the balance of power, after a general election in which his conservative Popular Party emerges as the winner but fails to win an outright majority.
 * 1997 ** July - Eta, demanding that Basque prisoners be transferred closer to home, kidnaps and kills Basque councillor Miguel Angel Blanco. Killing sparks national outrage and brings an estimated 6 million Spaniards onto the streets.
 * 1997 ** December - 23 leaders of Herri Batasuna jailed for seven years for collaborating with Eta - the first time any members of the party have been jailed as a result of Eta links.
 * 1998 ** April - Crops destroyed and wildlife wiped out when an iron pyrite mine reservoir belonging to a Canadian-Swedish company bursts its banks causing toxic waste spillage. Waterways feeding Europe's largest wildlife reserve, the Donana national park, are severely contaminated.
 * 1998 ** September - Eta announces its first indefinite ceasefire since its campaign of violence began. It calls the ceasefire off in November, claiming lack of a response from the government.
 * 2000 ** - Madrid car bombs mark return to violence.
 * 2001 ** Parliament grants political recognition to Republican guerrillas - known as the maquis - who continued resisting the nationalist dictator, General Francisco Franco, after the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939.
 * 2002 ** January - Peseta replaced by Euro.
 * 2002 ** June - Eta suspected of being behind bomb blasts in several tourist resorts as EU summit held in Seville.
 * 2002 ** July - Morocco sends troops to counter alleged illegal activities on disputed rocky outcrop of Perejil off Moroccan coast. Spain sends forces to eject them and gunboats to guard its enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Spain pulls troops out after Spanish, Moroccan foreign ministers agree to restore status quo, leaving Perejil unoccupied.
 * 2002 ** November - North-west coastline suffers ecological disaster after oil tanker Prestige breaks up and sinks about 130 miles out to sea.
 * 2003 ** March - Indefinite ban imposed on Basque separatist Batasuna party.
 * Madrid attacks **
 * 2004 ** March - 191 people killed in explosions on packed rush-hour trains in Madrid in near-simultaneous pre-election attacks. An Islamic group with links to al-Qaeda is later blamed.

** 2004 ** April - Mr Zapatero is sworn in as prime minister; he orders Spanish troops to be withdrawn from Iraq. The last troops leave in May. With Spain still in mourning, the Socialists under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero defy earlier opinion polls and win a general election. Voters approve the EU constitution in a referendum.
 * 2005 ** February - Car bomb explodes in Madrid, injuring about 40 people. Eta is believed to be behind the attack.
 * 2005 ** May - Government offers peace talks with Eta if the group disarms.
 * 2005 ** June - Parliament defies Roman Catholic Church by legalising gay marriage and granting homosexual couples same adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual ones.


 * 2006 ** January - Lt Gen Jose Mena Aguado sacked as head of army ground forces after suggesting that the military might take action in Catalonia if the region gains too much autonomy. ** 2005 ** September-October - At least 11 die and many more are injured in a series of mass attempts by African migrants to enter the enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta from Morocco in a bid to reach Spain. Spain reviews decision to deport those who do get through back to Morocco after expressions of international concern.
 * Eta ceasefire **
 * 2006 ** March - Eta declares a ceasefire. In June, Prime Minister Zapatero says the government will hold peace talks with the group.
 * 2006 ** June - Voters in Catalonia back proposals to give the region greater autonomy as well as the status of a nation within Spain.
 * 2006 ** December - Prime Minister Zapatero suspends moves to seek dialogue with Eta after a car bomb attack at a Madrid airport.
 * 2007 ** June - Eta calls off ceasefire.
 * 2007 ** October - Several people are found guilty and given jail sentences for the Madrid train bombings in 2004.
 * 2007 ** November - Parliament passes a bill formally denouncing Franco's rule and ordering the removal of all Franco-era statues and symbols from streets and buildings.
 * 2008 ** March - Parliamentary elections. The ruling Socialist Workers' Party wins re-election with an increased margin, but falls short of an absolute majority.
 * Economic crisis **
 * 2009 ** January - Spanish economy enters recession for first time since 1993.
 * 2009 ** March - Unemployment soars to 17.4%, with over 4 million people jobless.
 * 2009 ** May - The parliament of the Basque region votes in the first non-Nationalist regional government in more than 30 years, under Socialist leadership, following elections in March.
 * 2009 ** July - Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos visits Gibraltar - the first visit by a Spanish minister in 300 years.
 * 2010 ** February - Thousands of workers demonstrate against government spending cuts and plans to raise the retirement age by two years to 67 - the first mass labour protests since the governing Socialist Workers' Party came to power in 2004.
 * 2010 ** May - Unemployment rate climbs to over 20% for first time in nearly 13 years. Parliament approves 15bn-euro (£13bn) austerity package.
 * New Eta ceasefire **
 * 2010 ** September - Eta declares new ceasefire. Spanish government dismisses the move, saying there can be no political settlement until Eta renounces violence for good and disarms.
 * 2011 ** September - Parliament approves constitutional amendment setting legally binding cap on public sector borrowing.
 * 2011 ** November - Opposition conservative Popular Party wins resounding victory in parliamentary election.
 * 2011 ** December - New conservative government headed by Mariano Rajoy takes up office. Announces new round of austerity measures to slash public spending by 16.5bn euros ($21.5bn) and nearly halve the public deficit from about 8% of GDP in 2012.
 * 2012 ** January - Unemployment total passes the 5 million mark. This represents a jobless rate of 22.8% - the highest in the eurozone. Almost half of all 16-24 year-olds are out of work.
 * 2012 ** February - Spain's most famous judge, Baltasar Garzon, is found guilty of authorising illegal recordings of lawyers' conversations. Political left alleges a vendetta against a champion of human rights and justice.
 * 2012 ** April - Spain slips back into recession as economy contracts by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2012. ||  ||

Food & Beverage
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Spain is known for its cuisine which is very varied because of the different regions in Spain. However, there are a few staple Spanish food that is common to all regions, and food that you probably heard of and tasted in your own country.

Top 5Spanish Food
Cochinillo Asado (Roast Suckling Pig) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Cochinillo Asado is roast baby pig. Its fatty is crisp and perfect for those who like pork rind, while its meat is tender and juicy. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician Octopus) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">The octopus is boiled and then garnished with paprika, rock saltand olive oil. The flavor is subtle and inoffensive but the texture might put some people off. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Gambas Ajillo (Garlic Prawns) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Delicious large prawns, cooked in olive oil with garlic and spicy chili flakes. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Paella (Spanish Rice Dish) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Paella is synonymous with Spanish cuisine. Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelet) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Omelet with potato and (usually) onion. Sometimes it will have prawns, mushrooms or squid inside and it will occasionally be served with cheese on top.

Citations:
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Spain Flag Map - Spain Maps." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">MapsofNet //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://mapsof.net/map/spain-flag-map>.

http://youtu.be/3kSCweaqYKs

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">VocalNationalAnthems. "Spain National Anthem English Lyrics." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">YouTube //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. YouTube, 12 May 2010. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WNaHuAHKFU>.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Spanish Public Holidays - National Holidays in Spain." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">About.com Spain Travel //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://gospain.about.com/od/beforeyougo/qt/publicholidays.htm>.

http://www.google.com

http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/Static?p_action=doc&p_theme=maps&f_location=maps&f_docnum=list&f_map=Spain&x=30&y=12

http://www.lonelyplanet.com

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Spain - Timeline." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">BBC News //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. BBC, 30 Apr. 2012. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/992004.stm>.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Top 10 Spanish Dishes." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">About.com Spain Travel //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. Web. 18 May 2012. <http://gospain.about.com/od/fooddrink/ss/topspanishfood_7.htm>.