Castilian is the official language of the Spanish state; Catalan is an official language in Catalonia, and Basque in the Basque Country
Gross domestic product (GDP) (2014)
$1,119 bn
Currency
Euro
Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1)
0.876
World rank in HDI
26
Key economic sectors (% of GDP in 2002)
Services (74); industry (24); agriculture (2)
Leading companies
Banco Santander (US$106·0bn.); Intidex, a fashion distributor (US$100·0bn.); and Telefónica SA (US$70·3bn.)
Unemployment
23.7% (Dec 2014)
Main religious denominations
Roman Catholicism was the religion of 75·2, 2·1% of the population were Muslims, 2·0% were Orthodox Christians and 19·0% did not have any religious affiliation
Political system
A constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, with a bicameral legislature, the lower house called the Congress of Deputies, the upper house the Senate. The prime minister appoints the cabinet, but need not choose every member from the parliament.
Electoral system
Proportional representation from closed party lists for the Congress of Deputies; a simple majority system according to regional quotas for the Senate.
Current (March 2017) leaders
Monarch: Felipe VI (since 2014) Prime Minister: Mariano Rajoy (since 2011)
Previous leaders:
Monach: Juan Carlos I (1975 to 2014) Prime Minister: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (2004 – 2011)
Joined the EU/EC
1986
Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio
Joaquín Almunia (Competition, Vice-President of the Commission)
Number of MEPs
54
Turnout in 2014 EP elections (%)
43.8 (44.9 in 2009)
Member of eurozone
Yes (founder member)
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at http://www.statesmansyearbook.com
