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Study in Spain Study in Spain

Spain in data

Here is some information that you might find interesting when you live in Spain. Located in Western Europe, Spain covers most of the Iberian Peninsula, and has two archipelagos (the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands) and two autonomous cities in North Africa – Ceuta and Melilla.

People walking through Barcelona

People walking through Barcelona

Area: 505,963 square kilometres.

Regions: Spain is divided into 17 autonomous regions and 2 autonomous cities. Each autonomous region is divided into provinces, making a total of 50.

Capital: Madrid.

Population: 46,439,864. The most populated province capitals are, in this order: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante.

Government: Parliamentary monarchy.

Languages: Spanish is the official language. Other co-official languages are also spoken in certain regions. This is the case of Euskera/Basque in the Basque Country, Galician in Galicia, Catalan in Catalonia and Valencian in the Region of Valencia. There are also dialects in other regions of the country.

Religion: It is a non-confessional state. Catholicism is the main religion in the country.

Currency: Euro. There are 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro notes. There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros. In some shops you are not allowed to pay with 500 euro notes.

Time zone: GMT/UTC + 1 hour in winter or two hours in summer.

Electricity: AC 220 volts, 50 Hertz. Round pin plug. Take this into account if you bring your own electrical appliances.

Weight and measurement: Decimal Metric System.

Public holidays: Certain dates are public holidays in Spain, and they can be national, regional or local

The following are the national public holidays for 2016:

• 1 January, New Year's Day.

• 6 January, Epiphany.

• 24 March, Maundy Thursday (throughout Spain, except in Catalonia and the Region of Valencia).

• 25 March, Good Friday.

• 1 May, Labour Day.

• 15 August, the Assumption.

• 12 October, Spain's National Day

• 1 November, All Saints Day.

• 6 December, Spanish Constitution Day .

• 8 December, Festivity of the Immaculate Conception.


• 25 December, Christmas Day.