What drives Spain's economy?

Long a largely agricultural country, Spain produces large crops of wheat, barley, vegetables, tomatoes, olives, sugar beets, citrus fruit, grapes, and cork. Spain is the world's largest producer of olive oil and Europe's largest producer of lemons, oranges, and strawberries.

Spain produces more olive oil than any other country on Earth

Manufacturing and Services 

Spain has a lot of businesses that the country relies on to keep the economy afloat and strong. Steel and iron is a huge part of the counties infrastructure but it has slowly been declining after becoming the 5th largest producer of steel in Europe. Spain is the 2nd largest car manufacturer in Europe and the 12th in the world. Spain is the 1st manufacturer of industrial vehicles in Europe and 9 out of 10 vehicles produced in Spain are exported to over 130 countries. 

The Future Economy

The future economic performance of Spain are still domestic – both on the fiscal front and, above all, in its capacity to create jobs. the continued gap between public spending and tax receipts will oblige Spain to either meet further borrowing requirements, implement additional cuts or, more attractively, to collect more revenue. The more structure Spain has going forward, the better chances of a stable economy. 

Who makes up Spain?

Ethnic Composition:

Spain is made up of people from all over Europe, especially the Iberian Peninsula. There are three major ethnic groups that Spain is composed of:

1. Castilians
2. Catalans
3. Basques

There are definitely struggles between the groups that make up Spain, especially for the Catalans. The Catalans have been seeking independence for generations and independence is a very sensitive topic to them. Catalans speak their own dialect of Spanish and teach only Catalonian to the youth of the region. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, which is located in the heart of Catalonia, so if Catalonia becomes its own nation, Spain would lose a large amount of population and the economy may spiral out of control. 

Religion:

The Spanish Constitution guarantees religious freedom to all its citizens although the majority of the population is Catholic. Other religions also practiced in Spain include Islam, Judaism, Protestantism, and Hinduism, all of which have places to safely and properly practice. 

Government:

The government of Spain is much like that of Great Britain but Spain has a few differences. Spain is a Constitutional Monarchy governed under the Constitution of 1978 but Spain is also one of 24 democratic nations worldwide. The Prime Minister is "President of Government" and they are the head of government. The King is a symbol of the Spain's enduring unity and permanence. His Majesty Felipe VI of Spain is the King however, he holds no power similar to Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom. The King as a palace in Madrid but does not live there, it is more for historical significance. 

I personally have been to the Royal Palace and words cannot express how amazing it is.

Population

According to the National Institute of Statistics in Spain (2015) the total population is about 46,439,000 people. 

In 2014:

• Total fertility rate was ~1.32
• Crude birth rate ~9.1 (per 1000)
• Crude death rate ~8.5 (per 1000)
• Total population: 82.4 years
• Male: 78.8 years
• Female: 85.2 years

The urban population growth in Spain is ~79% (2013) Pictured above is the capital city of Madrid (population ~3.16 million)The total literacy rate in Spain is ~98% among adults (2013) 

In Spain, April 23rd is known as La Diada de Sant Jordi, St. George Day. It is known as a Spanish rendition of Valentines Day except that books and roses are exchanged. This holiday is celebrated nationwide but in Madrid and Barcelona, children are released from school early to exchange gifts with other children throughout the city. Personally, this was one of the most interesting things I saw on my trip to Spain back in 2014. Children have so much freedom in the bigger cities from what I have seen and the parents are able to check in on them during the siesta held everyday at ~2:30pm. 

Barcelona is located in the province of Catalonia which has been seeking independence for generations. The population of Barcelona is ~1.602 million. If Catalonia were to gain independence, Spain would lose approximately 16% of its total population which would greatly effect the economy and daily life. 

Health and Travel

Make sure you are up to date on all routine vaccines. Some doctors may recommend the Hepatitis A vaccine as well due to the possible food and water contamination. From personal experience, the food did not cooperate with my body at all after the trip due to the extremely fresh and lack of processed foods. To protect yourself against digestive issues, bring snacks with you so you can have a safe/ alternative meal whenever you are unsure of eating the food. 

Thematic Maps

Thematic maps are maps of a specific subject or for a specific purpose. For example, thematic maps can be used to portray physical, political, and even agricultural aspects of a specific region or country. 

I chose these specific maps because I know relativity a lot about Spain and the different aspects within the nation. The different types of elevation throughout Spain are very different than in the United States because one minute you could be deep in a valley and the next you could wind up in a mountainous hill. The population map is also very interesting because of the vast emptiness of the country in places that are not close to cities whatsoever. The last map of land utilization is very simple based on the landscapes of the different regions throughout Spain. 

Elevation Map

This map shows the different types of elevations in Spain ranging from hills to mountains. 

Source: http://spain-mi-tortilla.wikispaces.com/Thematic+Maps

Population Map

This map shows the population throughout Spain.

Source: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/spain.html

Land Utilization Map

This map shows how the land is utilized throughout Spain.

Source: http://spain-mi-tortilla.wikispaces.com/Thematic+Maps