10 interesting facts about Spain

10 Interesting F'acts about Spain Although Christopher Columbus was Italian, he set sail for the Indies under the auspices of the Spanish monarchy. The Puerta del Sol ("Gate of the Sun") plaza in Madrid is the physical center of the country. There is a Spanish New Year custom called Twelve Grapes. When you think of olive oil, you probably think of Italy. In reality, Spain produces 45% of all olive oil in the world. Traditionally, you have two surnames in Spain - the first surname from your father, and the second from your mother. With 410 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most popular language in the world. Real Madrid, the Spanish football club based out of Madrid, is the most valuable sports team in the world. With a GDP of $1.3 trillion, Spain is the 13th largest economy in the world. The island of Ibiza in eastern Spain is one of Europe's favorite party destinations. 71% of Spain's population identifies itself as catholic.