Spain is a country with so much diversity. It has mountains, beaches, and deserts. The food varies from region to region. The people are warm and welcoming and Spain has some incredible Landmarks, some of the best landmarks in Europe. This article will talk about interesting facts about Spain that you may not have known before reading it!

interesting facts about Spain, facts on Spain

Spain National Symbols

Spain has four national symbols. The symbols are the flag, the country’s coat of arms, the national anthem, and the royal anthem.

Spain’s flag is divided into three horizontal stripes: two red and yellow in the middle with coats of arms.

Spain’s national anthem is called “Marcha Real” (Royal March), and it was composed in 1770. It’s only one of the four in the world national anthems which don’t have the lyrics.

Spain’s royal anthem is “Marcha Imperial” (Imperial March), which was composed in 1843.

Spain’s national animal is the bull.

Spain facts: Climate

The climate of Spain is typically the Mediterranean, which means it has warm summers and mild winters. On average, the temperature in January on the coast ranges from 13 to 18 degrees Celsius, while during the summer months (June – September), temperatures can reach 35 degrees or more! You should be aware that

Facts about Spanish Culture

Spanish culture is a very important part of their identity. They have a deep respect for family and common values that they share with each other. The Spanish enjoy the small pleasures in life and living a simple lifestyle. They take pride in contributing to their society and taking care of their land.

Even though Spain is mostly a Catholic country, same-sex marriage is legal in Spain.

The Kingdom of Spain is the second-largest country in the European Union, just after France.

Facts about the Spanish Language

The Spanish language comes from Latin and is the third most common language in the world. There are over 450 million people who speak Spanish, making it the second most spoken language in the world. – there are more native Spanish speakers in the world than English speakers.

Interesting facts about Spain also include that there are regional dialects of Spanish that vary from area to area.

In Spain, there are seven different recognized languages, in these five official languages, and two recognized but not official.

Unesco World Heritage Sites in Spain

Now, let’s talk about Unesco World Heritage Sites. There are 47 in all. These sites have been named because they have cultural or historical significance and have been preserved for generations to come. Some of the most popular Unesco World Heritage Sites in Spain include Al Hambra, El Escorial, La Sagrada Familia and other works by Antoni Gaudí. All of the Unesco sites are highly recognizable Landmarks in Spain.

Spain has the fourth-highest amount of Unesco sites. Only Italy (58), China (56) and Germany(51).

Famous Spanish People 

There are a lot of famous Spanish people. There’s the painter Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and the singer Julio Iglesias. If you’re looking for something more modern, there’s actress Penelope Cruz, director Pedro Almodovar and soccer player Andres Iniesta. 

Famous Spanish Authors

Spain is home to some very famous authors, including Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote, which is recognized as the first modern novel. If you want to learn more about books about Spain, do check our post.

Facts about Spanish Food

The cuisine of Spain is very rich. It has so many different kinds of food that it can be difficult to choose what you want when eating out! The main staple in Spanish cuisine is olive oil, which they use generously on everything, including their bread and meats. Common foods include chorizo (a type of sausage), paella, and tapas.

People of Spain eat around 18 pounds (or more) of seafood per year! The second most consumed food item is red meat at 14.45 lbs/year, which makes sense because they export a lot of beef to other countries like France and Germany, for example.

There are two types of paella, seafood and Valencia, which is made with vegetables or meat. Paella, even though many think like that is not a Spanish national dish, it’s Valencian.

Spain has over 500 different types of cheese. They are made from sheep’s milk or cows’ milk; both goat and donkey milk have been used to make artisan cheeses for centuries.

Spain is the biggest olive oil producer not on in European Union but as well in the world. Spain produces over 40% of the world’s olive oil.

The Spanish were responsible for bringing chocolate to Europe from Mesoamerica. They introduced it to the court of King Charles V, who then brought it back with him to Spain.

Spain’s national drink is wine which probably comes as no surprise since they have over 7000 wineries and 200 different types of grapes that grow there.

World’s biggest food

World’s biggest food fight is held in Spain. The Tomatina festival is held every year on the last Wednesday of August in the small town of Buñol. More than 45000 tomatoes are used to throw at each other during this huge tomato fight! Spain is the second-largest producer of tomatoes. 

Facts on Sport in Spain

Soccer is by far the most popular sport in all parts of Spain except for Andalusia, where it is replaced by bullfighting! The national soccer team has won two World Cups (2010) and one European Championship (2008). Other popular sports include basketball, cycling, water polo and handball, among others

The Real Madrid

Real Madrid is a Spanish football club, which is one of the most successful clubs in the world, that competes in La Liga. They have won a record 34 La Liga titles, 18 Spanish Cups, and 10 European Cups. The team has also been on the top of the UEFA ranking for ten years in a row (2010-2020). Today, Real Madrid is considered to be one of the most valuable teams in the world. It was estimated to be worth €3.5 billion ($4 billion) and has an annual turnover of €398 million ($423 million).

Facts about Spanish Bullfighting

Bullfighting is a very popular sport. In this sport, one or more bulls are fought by humans with red capes and swords on their feet called “banderillas”. This activity has been practised since Roman times but was officially developed as we know it now during the 15th century. The last animal-led bullfight took place in Catalonia on 16th November 2011 due to a ban placed by the Spanish government.

Facts about Spanish History

Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula, named after the Iberian peoples who inhabited these lands for more than 900 years BC. Over time, they succumbed to the Celts, while the Phoenician colonies appeared on the coast, and later Greek and Carthaginian. However, only the conquest of the peninsula by the Romans (3rd – 1st century BC) left a permanent remnant in the culture and language of today’s inhabitants. Only the Basques living in the north resisted Romanization.

Spain was ruled by Muslims, which was called Al-Andalus, for 800 years until 1492, when the Catholics finally won and expelled them from Granada.

At the same time, Christopher Columbus discovered America – an event of considerable importance that opened the way to the colonial expansion of Spain. This started a new era of history in Europe as it is now known as The Age of Discovery.

For the gold imported from a huge colonial empire covering most of the then known New World, they built a great palace – as El Escorial, but forgotten to take care of the economic development of the backward country.

The defeat of the “invincible Spanish armada” in 1588 led by Philip in England marked the decline of the Spanish Empire as the greatest colonial power. 

Breaks, civil unrest and civil wars and plagued the Spaniards throughout the nineteenth century.

The bloodiest, however, was to be the Spanish civil war, which took place five years after the proclamation of the republic in 1931. It was followed by a period of dictatorial rule by Fascist dictator general Francisco Franco ruled from 1939 to his death in 1975. His regime was one of the most repressive and brutal among all fascist dictatorships that existed before or after World War II ending with his successor Juan Carlos I King, who negotiated democratic reforms and established a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government.

Geography of Spain facts

Spain is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Spain shares its borders with France, Gibraltar and Portugal. The country has two archipelagoes – the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea are autonomous regions of Spain, while the Canary Islands are located off Africa’s northwest coast. It also consists of more than 60 islands.

Balearic Islands

The most famous islands are Ibiza, Mallorca, and Menorca, knows as the Balearic Islands. These islands are popular tourist destinations because of the long beaches and their lively nightlife!

Canary Islands

And on the Atlantic Ocean of the west coast of Africa, there are the Canary Islands which include Tenerife and Gran Canaria. These islands receive lots of tourists in winter because they have a warm tropical climate!

Spanish Beaches

Spanish beaches are some of the most desirable in Europe. With many destinations to choose from, there’s sure to be some that you will love. Especially on the coastline, all of them have clear blue oceans and perfect white sands. the most famous Spain beach in Ibiza and Magaluf

Mountains in Spain facts

Spain is divided into 50 provinces, with each having its own capital city. The most mountainous region in Spain is the Pyrenees which make up the border between France and Spain. Other mountain ranges include Cordillera Cantabria, Sierra Nevada, Montes de Toledo ,Sierra Morena, Serranía Béjarand Serranía de Cuenca.

The highest Spanish mountain is mount Teide with a height of 3715 m which is a volcano located on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

The highest mountain on the Spanish mainland is Mulhacén, at an elevation of 11,413 ft feet, which is as well the second highest peak in Europe.

Facts about Spanish cities

The most populous city in Spain is Madrid, which is Spain capital. Other major cities include Barcelona, Valencia and Seville (which was the former capital of Andalusia). The largest metropolitan area by population is that of Barcelona, with over five million inhabitants. There are 47 provinces that makeup 17 autonomous communities.

There are four main geographical regions in Spain, with the main ones being Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, Andalusia.

Fun Facts about Spain 

Spanish kids don’t believe in the tooth fairy; instead, they believe in a little tooth mouse called Ratoncito Perez! The belief comes from the book by Luis Coloma.

Spain is the only European country that has a border with an African country – Marocco. It’s possible only because Spain has a small outpost called Melilla and Ceuta, which are located in northeast Morocco.

An interesting fact on religion in Spain includes that 90% of the population is Roman Catholic and the Iberian Peninsula was one of the few territories where Catholicism became dominant during medieval times.

Madrid has the oldest restaurant – Restaurante Botín, which has been open since 1725! It’s recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest restaurant in operation today.

Interesting Spain Facts – summary 

Spain is a great place to travel. There are so many exciting things that you can do! You will learn new languages, eat delicious food, and see some amazing places while there. Another notable fact is that it’s easy to get around once

Facts of Spain – Pin it for later

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