Essential information for Spain immigration. Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe. It is bordered to the west by Portugal, which shares the Iberian Peninsula; to the north by the Bay of Biscay; to the northeast by France and Andorra; and to the south, it is separated from Morocco in Africa by the Strait of Gibraltar. Its territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in Africa. The coastline is approximately 7,800 kilometers long. The country is mountainous and is one of the high-altitude countries in Europe. In modern history, Spain was an important cultural cradle and became a global empire in the 16th century, exerting a profound influence on the world. Today, Spain is a developed country with a well-established market economy, and its gross domestic product ranks among the top in Europe.
Scenic Spots
Historic Centre of Cordoba, Alhambra and Generalife Gardens of Granada, Burgos Cathedral, Monastery of El Escorial, Park Güell, Palau Güell and Casa Milà in Barcelona, Cave of Altamira, Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct, Churches of the Kingdom of the Asturias, Old Town of Santiago de Compostela, Old Town of Avila and its Extra-Muros Churches, Mudejar Architecture of Aragon, Historic City of Toledo, Garajonay National Park, Old Town of Caceres, Cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indias in Seville, Old City of Salamanca, Poblet Monastery, Archaeological Ensemble of Merida, Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe, Route of Santiago de Compostela, Doñana National Park, Historic Walled Town of Cuenca, La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia, Las Médulas, Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona, San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries, Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula, University and Historic Precinct of Alcala de Henares, Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Archaeological Ensemble of Atapuerca, Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí, Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, Palmeral of Elche, Roman Walls of Lugo, Aranjuez Cultural Landscape, Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza.
Best Time to Visit
The central Meseta plateau has a continental climate, the northern and northwestern coasts have a temperate maritime climate, and the southern and southeastern regions have a Mediterranean subtropical climate. The northwest is more humid, while the interior and southeast are drier. The average monthly temperature from north to south is 9.4-10.3°C in January and 19.1-28.1°C in July. Annual precipitation is generally 350-500 mm, reaching up to 1,500 mm in mountainous areas. The central Madrid region has a plateau climate, with dry and hot summers and cold and dry winters. The Barcelona region in the northeast has a typical Mediterranean climate, with mild and humid weather all year round, relatively hot and dry summers, and precipitation mainly in winter, with over 250 days of sunshine per year.
History and Culture
On April 12, 1931, the monarchy was overthrown and the Second Republic was established. In February 1936, a coalition government led by the Popular Front, including the Socialist Party and the Communist Party, was formed. On July 17, 1936, Franco launched a rebellion, triggering the three-year Spanish Civil War. He seized power in April 1939 and maintained a dictatorship for 36 years. In February 1943, Spain concluded a military alliance with Germany and participated in the war against the Soviet Union. In July 1947, Franco declared Spain a monarchy and appointed himself head of state for life. In July 1966, he designated Juan Carlos, the grandson of the last king, Alfonso XIII, as his successor.
On November 20, 1975, Franco died, and Juan Carlos I ascended the throne, restoring the monarchy. On July 1, 1976, he appointed Adolfo Suárez, the former Secretary-General of the National Movement, as Prime Minister, beginning the transition to Western parliamentary democracy. The new constitution was officially promulgated in December 1978. Spain joined NATO in 1982 and the European Community in 1986.
