Total area: 504, 8 sq km
Population: 39.2
Capital: Madrid
Type of government: Parliamentary Monarchy, Leadership-king
Currency: Euro
National Holiday: 12 October Hispanity Day

Geography
Climate
Languages
Transport
Shops
Passports and Visas
Communication

Geography
Total area of the country is 504.8 sq km. Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe. It borders with France, Andorra and Portugal. To the north the country washed by Bay of Biscay, to the east by the Mediterranean Sea, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands.

Climate
Spain has Mediterranean, dry and hot climate. The winter is mild with average temperature +8-14 C. The ideal time to visit the country is from June till September.
Spain divided into 3 climatic zones:
North of the country is influenced by Atlantic Ocean. The winter is mild and wet, summer is warm. South-east coast has Mediterranean climate with mild and short winter, and dry and hot summer. Rainfall is low and common during autumn and winter.
Central plateau has a continental climate with considerable temperature difference between day and night. Summer is hot and dry, winter is cold and dry.

Languages
There are four principle languages in Spain. Castilian Spanish is the main language of business and government. Other official languages include Catalan in Catalonia, Gallego in Galicia, and Euskera (Basque) in the Basque country.
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots. Very popular is potato omelet ("tortilla de patata", "tortilla española" or just "tortilla").

Transport
To hire a car you should have passport and driver license. Many companies have a minimum age of 21 or 25 to hire a car. The rent is cost around 30 USD per day. Parking spaces with meters are marked in blue where a ticket can be purchased from an attendant or machine. The machine may be halfway down the block; don’t assume that because there is no meters near the car that parking is free. These spaces are usually for two hours max. Fines vary between areas but can be substantial.

Passports and Visas
Spain is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement is an effort by 24 European countries to eliminate internal borders and thus replace individual national visa requirements with a harmonized visa program known as the Schengen Visa. The Schengen Visa is typically a single-entry visa that allows visitors to travel between the 24 Schengen countries without needing a separate visa for each country

Communication
Spain's telecommunications system is generally modern and good for domestic and international use. For directory assistance and information in Spain, dial 003. For directory information for Europe, dial 008. For other international information, dial 0025. For an English-speaking operator to assist with international calls, dial 005. To make a direct international call dial 00, then country code and telephone number.
To call Spain from the U.S., dial 8 10 + 34 (country code) + nine-digit number.
To call within Spain, dial nine-digit national number for both local and long distance calls.
Police 091
Local polis 092
Cruz Rosa 22-22-22

[Tags: Tours to Spain]
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