Spain About

Spain is more than bullfights, flamenco dancers and crowded beaches. It's a spectacular and diverse country, the north resembling the rolling, green hills of Ireland and the south giving you a taste of Moroccan landscapes and architecture. Its tremendous history is reflected in its prehistoric cave paintings, Moorish palaces, crumbling castles, Roman ruins, Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals as well as some very distinctive modern architecture. The uniqueness of Spain lies in the separate kingdoms which made up the original Spanish nation. These regions remain diverse in their language, culture, cuisine and art. They include: Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Basque Country, Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla Leon, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra and Valencia . . . Read more

Madrid - capital of Spain

Madrid is a capital and the conurbation in Spain. All population of Madrid of 5.8 million persons. The city covers in general 607 sq.km. As capital of Spain, a government place, and a residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid - also the political centre of Spain... Read more >

Barcelona

Barcelona - historical capital of Catalonia, the largest port on Mediterranean sea. It is the most brisk, most European city of Spain... Read more >

Climate

In Spain allocate three types of a climate: moderate sea in the northwest and the north - with moderate temperatures and plentiful precipitations within all year; Mediterranean in the south and coast of Mediterranean sea - with soft damp winters and in the hot dry summer; continental arid climate in internal areas of the country - with cool winters and in the warm dry summer. The average annual quantity precipitations fluctuates from more than 1600 mm in the northwest and western slopes Pyrenees to less than 250 mm on the Aragon plateau and in La Mancha. More than half of territory of Spain are received annually less by than 500 mm precipitations in a year and only about 20 % - over 1000 mm. As the Andalusia lowland is opened to the western damp winds blowing from Atlantic Ocean, there drops out much more precipitations. So, in Seville the average annual quantity precipitations exceeds 500 mm a little. On considerable part Meseta precipitations it is not enough for cultivation of the basic agricultural crops though in northern part of New Castile drops out very much precipitations and there collect high crops of wheat. Madrid has average annual quantity precipitations 410 mm, and it considerably increases in the top parts of hillsides in Meseta. Temperatures everywhere, except internal areas Meseta, as a whole the moderated. In the northwest average temperature of January 7 C °, and August 21 C °; in Murcia at east coast accordingly 10 Р and 26 C °. As the southeast coast is protected from north by mountains Cordilleras, the climate there is close to African, with very dry and hot summer. It is area of cultivation of a date palm tree, bananas and a sugar cane. Winters in Meseta cold, quite often happen strong frosts and even snow snow-storms. In the summer here hot also it is dusty: average temperature of July and August 27 C °. In Madrid average temperature of January 4 C °, and July 25 C °. In the summer the hottest weather keeps around Andalusia lowland. In Seville average temperature of August 29 C °, but sometimes the temperature rises to 46 C ° in the afternoon; winters soft, average temperature of January 11 C °.

Beaches and soils

Having dragged more, than on 4 thousand kilometers, the Spanish shore represents the special coast ensemble which is washed against by waters of Mediterranean Sea (in the east and the south), Bay of Biscay (in the north) and Atlantic Ocean (in the west and in the south). Its beaches which the sun caresses more than 300 days in a year at favorable temperature from 18 to 30 degrees on Celsius, accept annually millions tourists from every corner of the world. According to the European Union, quality of beaches in Spain constantly grows. During the period from April, 15th till October, 23rd, 1999 in Spain there were 1624 beaches, and only 0,1 % from them mismatched the international standards. As to the basins which are in territory of country, the authorities have forbidden their usage in 10 % of cases. In the northwest of Spain on seaside plains and on windy slopes of mountains brown wood soils are developed. Country hinterlands - Old and New Castile, Iberian mountains and Aragon plateau - are characterized by brown soils; low-power carbonaceous grey-brown soils are introduced to the driest not wood districts with sites of saline soil in land forms depressions. In arid visual environments of Murcia are developed grey lands. They without plaster also are not salted, at forced-circulation produce high crops of fruit and other cultures. Are heavy-clay soils Barros on flat ancient alluvial plains, especially favorable for fig. cultivation precipitate out.