The Key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music

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The southern and eastern coasts of Spain, from the fertile Andalusian plain up to the Pyrenees, are often swept by warm winds called “sirocco” winds. These winds originate in northern Africa and keep temperatures along the Mediterranean coast warmer than the interior. Due to its historical and geographical diversity, Spanish architecture has drawn from a host of influences. Fine examples of Islamicate architecture, belonging to the Western Islamic tradition, were built in the Middle Ages in places such as Córdoba, Seville, or Granada. Similarly to the Maghreb, stucco decoration in Al-Andalus became an architectural stylemark in the high Middle Ages. [250] Now here’s a surprising fact about Spain. Although many foreigners see paella as the Spanish national dish, many Spaniards don’t. That’s because most locals see the colorful rice dish as a Valencian dish, not a national one. Find out how to cook paella, among other Spanish delicacies, with our guide to Spanish food. 14. Childcare can be limited The Protestant Reformation increased Spain's involvement in religiously charged wars, forcing ever-expanding military efforts across Europe and in the Mediterranean. [44] By the middle decades of a war- and plague-ridden 17th-century Europe, the Spanish Habsburgs had enmeshed the country in continent-wide religious-political conflicts. These conflicts drained it of resources and undermined the economy generally. Spain managed to hold on to most of the scattered Habsburg empire, and help the imperial forces of the Holy Roman Empire reverse a large part of the advances made by Protestant forces, but it was finally forced to recognise the separation of Portugal and the United Provinces (Dutch Republic), and eventually suffered some serious military reverses to France in the latter stages of the immensely destructive, Europe-wide Thirty Years' War. [45] In the latter half of the 17th century, Spain went into a gradual decline, during which it surrendered several small territories to France and England; however, it maintained and enlarged its vast overseas empire, which remained intact until the beginning of the 19th century. century The family of Philip V. During the Enlightenment in Spain a new royal family reigned, the House of Bourbon.

Some early examples of vernacular Romance-based literature include short snippets of Mozarabic Romance (such as refrains) sprinkled in Arabic and Hebrew texts. [225] Other examples of early Iberian Romance include the Glosas Emilianenses written in Latin, Basque and Romance. [226] Bronze statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, at the Plaza de España in Madrid During the 1980s the democratic restoration made possible a growing open society. New cultural movements based on freedom appeared, like La Movida Madrileña. In May 1982 Spain joined NATO, followed by a referendum after a strong social opposition. That year the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) came to power, the first left-wing government in 43 years. In 1986 Spain joined the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union. The PSOE was replaced in government by the Partido Popular (PP) in 1996 after scandals around participation of the government of Felipe González in the Dirty war against ETA. for those with mobility issues, but it is ideal for an active, nature-loving family looking for fun and entertainment. It has three superb pool complexes, two open until midnight in high season, e... The vegetation of Spain is varied due to several factors including the diversity of the terrain, the climate and latitude. Spain includes different phytogeographic regions, each with its own floral characteristics resulting largely from the interaction of climate, topography, soil type and fire, and biotic factors. The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.23/10, ranking it 130th globally out of 172 countries. [95]

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The Germanic Suebi and Vandals, together with the Sarmatian Alans, entered the peninsula after 409, weakening the Western Roman Empire's jurisdiction over Hispania. The Suebi established a kingdom in north-western Iberia, whereas the Vandals established themselves in the south of the peninsula by 420 before crossing over to North Africa in 429. As the western empire disintegrated, the social and economic base became greatly simplified; the successor regimes maintained many of the institutions and laws of the late empire, including Christianity and assimilation into the evolving Roman culture. with younger children. The parc rules are fairly strictly enforced. An ideal base for those wishing to explore the Catalonian coastline. The nearest beach in Pals is ideal for windsurfing or relaxing... During the Golden Age painters working in Spain included El Greco, José de Ribera, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and Francisco Zurbarán. Also in the Baroque period, Diego Velázquez created some of the most famous Spanish portraits, such as Las Meninas and Las Hilanderas. [241] To help protect wildlife, Spain has created national parks and refuges. One protected area is Doñana National Park, a region of marshes, streams and sand dunes where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic. The park”s diversity of life is unique in Europe and includes the European badger, Egyptian mongoose and endangered species such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the Iberian lynx. History of Spain Since the 1990s some Spanish companies have gained multinational status, often expanding their activities in culturally close Latin America. Spain is the second biggest foreign investor there, after the United States. Spanish companies have also expanded into Asia, especially China and India. [137] Spanish companies invested in fields like renewable energy commercialisation ( Iberdrola was the world's largest renewable energy operator [138]), technology companies like Telefónica, Abengoa, Mondragon Corporation (which is the world's largest worker-owned cooperative), Movistar, Hisdesat, Indra, train manufacturers like CAF, Talgo, global corporations such as the textile company Inditex, petroleum companies like Repsol or Cepsa and infrastructure, with six of the ten biggest international construction firms specialising in transport being Spanish, like Ferrovial, Acciona, ACS, OHL and FCC. [139] Banco Santander headquarters in Santander, the largest Spanish company

Native Spaniards make up 88% of the total population of Spain. After the birth rate plunged in the 1980s and Spain's population growth rate dropped, the population again trended upward initially upon the return of many Spaniards who had emigrated to other European countries during the 1970s, and more recently, fuelled by large numbers of immigrants who make up 12% of the population. The immigrants originate mainly in Latin America (39%), North Africa (16%), Eastern Europe (15%), and Sub-Saharan Africa (4%). [175] Sadly, many species of wildlife are under threat from habitat loss and pollution. Due to centuries of tree cutting, large forests are now only found in the north Pyrenees and the Asturias-Galicia area. River pollution is also a problem in parts of Spain, putting Spain’s aquatic species at risk. The Spanish administration approved the Gender Equality Act in 2007 aimed at furthering equality between genders in Spanish political and economic life. [101] According to Inter-Parliamentary Union data as of 1 September 2018, 137 of the 350 members of the Congress were women (39.1%), while in the Senate, there were 101 women out of 266 (39.9%), placing Spain 16th on their list of countries ranked by proportion of women in the lower (or single) House. [102] The Gender Empowerment Measure of Spain in the United Nations Human Development Report is 0.794, 12th in the world. [103] Government The hemicycle of the Congress of Deputies According to stats, Spain has the second-highest life expectancy of all the OECD countries at an impressive 83 years. Only the Japanese have a higher life expectancy. Figures show that Spanish women are outliving their male counterparts: 85 years compared to 79 years for men. 7. … which means an aging population According to the official Spanish statistics ( INE) there were 5.4million foreign residents in Spain in 2020 (11.4%) [178] while all citizens born outside of Spain were 7.2million in 2020, 15.23% of the total population. [179]Mountains and rivers Teide, still an active volcano in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, is the tallest peak in Spain. In 2019, the population of Spain officially reached 47million people, as recorded by the Padrón municipal (Spain's Municipal Register). [170] Spain's population density, at 91/km 2 (235/sq mi), is lower than that of most Western European countries and its distribution across the country is very unequal. With the exception of the region surrounding the capital, Madrid, the most populated areas lie around the coast. The population of Spain has risen 2 1/2 times since 1900, when it stood at 18.6million, principally due to the spectacular demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s. [171] With Franco's death in November 1975, Juan Carlos succeeded to the position of King of Spain and head of state in accordance with the Francoist law. With the approval of the new Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the restoration of democracy, the State devolved much authority to the regions and created an internal organisation based on autonomous communities. The Spanish 1977 Amnesty Law let people of Franco's regime continue inside institutions without consequences, even perpetrators of some crimes during transition to democracy like the Massacre of 3 March 1976 in Vitoria or 1977 Massacre of Atocha. Main article: Immigration to Spain Distribution of the foreign population in Spain in 2005 by percentage The Spanish Armed Forces are divided into three branches: Army ( Ejército de Tierra); Navy ( Armada); and Air and Space Force ( Ejército del Aire y del Espacio). [113]