l-Spain-l

Spain A piece of Spanish countryside

 The flag of Spain was officially adopted on July 19, 1927 The red and golden-yellow colors of Spain's flag were first used in the late 1700s by the King of Spain, as he tried to easily differentiate his ships from those of other countries. They're also the original colors found within the arms of both the // Castile and Aragon // regions of the country, the regions first united by // King Ferdinand // and // Queen Isabella. // From http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/europe/spain.htm



This is the Spanish Coat of Arms.  The coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (See Other Info #3) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe. From the [|CIA Factbook]

media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=spain&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.956929,35.15625&ie=UTF8&s=AARTsJrJC4pesZeOctop_rF4MgOWFOMgTg&ll=40.463666,-3.757324&spn=8.02245,14.0625&z=6&output=embed" height="480" width="640"  General Info: Area: 504,782 km² Population: 40,448,191 Density: 80 people/km² King: Juan Carlos I PM: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero National Anthem:

 Marcha Real  Gloria, gloria, corona de la Patria, soberana luz que es oro en tu Pendón. Vida, vida, futuro de la Patria, que en tus ojos es abierto corazón. Púrpura y oro: bandera inmortal; en tus colores, juntas, carne y alma están. Púrpura y oro: querer y lograr; Tú eres, bandera, el signo del humano afán. Gloria, gloria, corona de la Patria, soberana luz que es oro en tu Pendón. Púrpura y oro: bandera inmortal; en tus colores, juntas, carne y alma están.

In English this is:

Glory, glory, crown of the Fatherland sovereign light which in your standard is gold. Life, life, future of the Fatherland, in your eyes it is an open heart Purple and gold: immortal flag; in your colors, together, flesh and soul are. Purple and gold: to want and to achieve; You are, flag, the sign of human effort. Glory, glory, crown of the Fatherland sovereign light which in your standard is gold. Purple and gold: immortal flag; in your colors, together, flesh and soul are.

From [|Wikipedia]



 SHARE: Spirituality: Culture - 88.7% Spanish, 11.3% Other. Religion - Christianity :: 76%, Irreligion :: 19%, Islam :: 2.3%, Other :: 1.7%, Judaism :: 0.1% Languages - Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%  Hauora: Food -  · //Mediterranean //<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"> Spain - all such coastal regions, from Catalonia to Andalusia: heavy use of seafood, such as pescaíto frito. Several cold soups like azpacho and also many rice-based dishes like paella and arroz negro. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-NZ; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msolist: Ignore;">· //<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Inner //<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"> Spain - Castile and Madrid: hot, thick soups such as the bread and chorizo-based //Castilian soup//, along with substantious stews such as cocido madrileño. Food is traditionally conserved by salting, like Spanish ham, or immersed in olive oil, like Manchego cheese. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-NZ; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msolist: Ignore;">· //<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Atlantic //<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"> Spain - the whole Northern coast, from Galicia to Navarre: vegetable and fish-based stews like pote gallego and marmitako. Also, the lightly-cured lacón ham. From [|Wikipedia]

<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Sport : <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The main sport is soccer. Their international team is called Real Madrid. You can see their website [|here.] <span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Attitude : Government Type – Parliamentary Monarchy <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Definition - A monarchy having a parliament <span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Relationships : International Issues - <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-NZ; mso-spacerun: yes; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">In 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain. Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy. Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters. Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa. Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"> From The [|CIA World Factbook] <span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Excellence : Education is free and compulsory from 6 to 16

<span style="font-size: 27pt; font-family: 'Lucida Console'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Any Other Info: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"> The main languages spoken are Spanish, Aranese, Basque, Catalan/Valencian and Galacian.

Spain's main ethnicities are 88.7% Spanish, 11.3% Other (Romanian, Moroccan, Ecuadorian, Colombian, British)

Spain currently holds 13 Guinness World Records.

Spain is the world’s 51st largest country in the world.

The Spanish king, Juan Carlos I, is also the army's commander-in-chief.

Spain's motto is "Plus Ultra", which is Latin for "Further Beyond".

Spain's anthem is "Marcha Real", which means "Royal March".

Spain's border countries are Andorra with 63.7 km of the border, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2km, Portugal 1,214 km, and Morocco 15.9 km. They also have 4,964 km of very busy coastline.

Spain's highest point is El Teide, at 3715m above sea level.

Spain's largest lake is Lago de Sanabria, at 368 ha surface area.

Spain's longest river is Tagus, at 1,038 km.

Spain's currency is the Euro. (€)

<span style="font-size: 200%; font-family: 'Lucida Console', Monaco, monospace;">The Running of the <span style="font-size: 150%; font-family: 'Lucida Console', Monaco, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Lucida Console'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Bulls The Running of the Bulls is a practice that involves running in front of bulls that have been let loose on a course of a sectioned-off subset of a town's streets. The main event is held over nine days in San Fermín, Pamplona,and is broadcasted on two national television channels, but is also held in towns and villages throughout Spain. Before the bulls are released, a set of wooden or iron barricades is erected to direct the bulls along the route and to block off sidestreets. There may be a double row of barricades along the route to allow runners to quickly exit in case of danger. The gaps in the barricades are wide enough for a person to slip through, but narrow enough to block a bull. This is the nightly "fire bull" where balls of flammable material are placed on the horns. Nowadays the bull is often replaced by a runner carrying a frame on which fireworks are placed and dodgers, usually children, run to avoid the sparks.

Many animal rights activists oppose the event. PETA activists have created the "running of the nudes", a demonstration the day before the beginning of San Fermín in Pamplona. By marching naked, they protest the festival and the following bullfight, arguing the bulls are tortured for entertainment. The city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, cancelled its Sanmiguelada running of the bulls after 2006, citing public disorder associated with the event.

<span style="font-size: 200%; font-family: 'Lucida Console', Monaco, monospace;">
 * Deaths since 1910 in the bull run of Pamplona**
 * ~ Year ||~ Name ||~ Age ||~ Origin ||~ Location ||
 * 1924 || Esteban Domeño || 22 || Navarre. Spain || Telefónica ||
 * 1927 || Santiago Zufía || 34 || Navarre. Spain || Bullring ||
 * 1935 || Gonzalo Bustinduy || 29 || Mexico || Bullring ||
 * 1947 || Casimiro Heredia || 37 || Navarre. Spain || Estafeta ||
 * 1947 || Julián Zabalza || 23 || Navarre. Spain || Bullring ||
 * 1961 || Vicente Urrizola || 32 || Navarre. Spain || Santo Domingo ||
 * 1969 || Hilario Pardo || 45 || Navarre. Spain || Santo Domingo ||
 * 1974 || Juan Ignacio Eraso || 18 || Navarre. Spain || Telefónica ||
 * 1975 || Gregorio Gorriz || 41 || Navarre. Spain || Bullring ||
 * 1977 || José Joaquín Esparza || 17 || Navarre. Spain || Bullring ||
 * 1980 || José Antonio Sánchez || 26 || Navarre. Spain || Town Hall Square ||
 * 1980 || Vicente Risco || 29 || Badajoz. Spain || Bullring ||
 * 1995 || Matthew Peter Tassio || 22 || Illinois. USA || Town Hall Square ||
 * 2003 || Fermín Etxeberría || 63 || Navarre. Spain || Mercaderes ||

Bullfighting <span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Lucida Console'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN-NZ; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> Bullfighting, also called tauromachy, is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, some cities in southern France, and several Latin American countries, in which one or more live bulls are ritually killed as a public spectacle. A nonlethal variant stemming from Portuguese influence is practised on the Tanzanian island of Pemba. Spanish-style bullfighting is called //corrida de toros// (literally //running of bulls//) or //fiesta brava// (the //ferocious festival//).



This is a bullfight in Sevilla, Spain