Spain

Spain images

CAPITAL: Madrid

FLAG: The national flag, adopted in 1785, consists of three horizontal stripes: a yellow one—equal in size to the other two combined—between two red ones, with the coat of arms on the yellow stripe.

ANTHEM: Marcha Real Granadera (March of the Royal Grenadier).

MONETARY UNIT: The peseta was replaced by the euro as official currency as of 2002. The euro is divided into 100 cents.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard.

CLIMATE:The climate of Spain is extremely varied. The northern coastal regions are cool and humid, with an average annual temperature of 14°c (57°f); temperatures at Bilbao range from an average of 10°c (50°f) in January–March to 19°c (66°f) during July–September. The central plateau is cold in the winter and hot in the summer; Madrid has a winter average of about 8°c (46°f) and a summer average of 23°c (73°f). In Andalucía and the Levante, the climate is temperate except in summer, when temperatures sometimes reach above 40°c (104°f) in the shade. The northern coastal regions have an average annual rainfall of 99 cm (39 in); the southern coastal belt has 41–79 cm (16–31 in); and the interior central plain averages no more than 50 cm (20 in) annually.