50 Facts About Spain

UNBELIEVABLE 50 SPAIN FACTS ABOUT Spain has been a firm travel destination favourite for decades. With its golden beaches, excellent weather and delicious food, it's easy to understand why. But if you fancy exploring some of the less well known aspects of Spain, here are a few nuggets of knowledge to get you started. THE GEOGRAPHY 182.7 MILES 21 43 The length of Madrid's Metro (underground train) system, making it the 6th longest in the world. The number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain, which is more than twice the number in the US. 1,656 40% The number of escalators on Madrid's Metro system -the most of any Metro system in the world. The proportion of the işland of Menorca that is protected by UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status. Madrid Gets its name from the Arabic "magerit" which means'place of many streams. MADRID Is the physical centre of Spain. The plaza Puerta del Sol in Madrid is the exact centre of the county. 35 minutes JAROSITE A mineral found in the Rio Tinto area of The time it takes to get to Africa from Spain by ferry. Spain... that has also been found on Mars. THE PEOPLE AROUE BANDLO PUERTA MIKI BRITISH The nationality that makes up the biggest proportion of travellers to Spain. Spanish surnames come up in the top 10 most common surnames in the world: PASSPORT González Hernández García 94% The proportion of Spain's population that is Roman Catholic. 45.8m 390,000 The number of Brits living in Spain, as of January 2012. The population of Spain. 85 The average age a Spanish woman can expect to live to. For Spanish men, it's 79. 3RD JAVIER BARDEM Spaniard Amancio Ortega is the world's third richest (and Europe's richest) person. The first Spanish actor to win an Oscar for his performance in No Country for Old Men. 88% The percent of Spaniards who view that homosexuality should be accepted - the highest in all of Europe. 2010 13lb 7oz (6.095kg) The year Spanish sportsmen won both the football World Cup and the Wimbledon tennis final. average weight- 7lb 50z The weight of the heaviest naturally-born baby in Spain, which was born to a British mother. 1/10 €1,000 The prize given to Pedro Soria Lopez of Ecuador for winning Spain's first siesta contest. The proportion of Spaniards that manage to have a daily siesta. THE HISTORY 1492 1960s The year modern - day Spain was formed. The decade modern tourism kicked off in Spain. JANUARY 2002 13th century The month Spain gave up its currency, the Peseta, in favour of the Euro. EL BANCO DE ESPANA 762186392 The date the Running of the Bulls harks back to. CIEN PESETAS 1000 40,800 years old The score Spain beat Italy with in the Euro 2012 football final, the highest goal margin ever recorded in a European Championship or World Cup final. the world's oldest cave art is found in Spain. 1133 Land of Rabbits - It's thought the name Spain comes from Hispnanihad, Phoenician for 'land of rabbits The year of the first official bullfight in Spain, held in honour of King Alfonso VII. LOLLIPOPS TOMATOES, POTATOES, AVOCADOS, TOBACCO & CACÃO Europe by Spain. were invented in Spain. were all imported into THE LANGUAGE AND THE MEDIA FOUR The number of official languages in Spain and its territories: Castilian Catalan La Marcha Real Galician Basque The name of Spain's national anthem. It's the only one in the world that has no official words. 17.6m EL MADRID ESTÁ DISPUESTO A PAGAR LOS 60 MILLONES DE SU CLAUSULA The number of Facebook users in Spain, as of December 2012. MARCA Marca 964 The year of the first written FIGO, SAVIOLA Y AHORA. The best-selling daily newspaper in Spain, which is entirely about football. record of Spanish. ucurtana ena ollagear obleur fow'nacny fuh espitmer un Sucernne INIESTA ap qu taen ure noryna rdna eur p ebum erunt enent de Sumalan Betafatal slac adeleniam ania ne eeal TZELUSA DEC ELIS MEALMGMERE RICEA ture US. Tens comnon la unyu pured SHUT UP! uruetu ladevie purle vin The King of Spain hit the headlines (and became millions of people's ringtone) when he told Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to'shut up'at a summit. BONANZA A Spanish loan-word that has made its way into the English language, along with tornado, patio. Plus Ultra The motto written on the Spanish flag, meaning "further beyond", referring to the Spanish lands beyond Europe. MAJORCA MALLORCA LL or J? The Spanish call it Mallorca, the British call it Majorca. Either way, the pronunciation of this island's name is the same! ...AND SOME EXTRAS! 3-4 HOURS 2/3 NAKED of olive oil labelled Being in a state of undress in public places is not illegal in parts of Spain. as Italian that is actually Spanish. The length of time of a typical bullfight. The Kingdom of Spain Spain's full name. 30M Baby Jumping The number of farmed rabbits eaten every year in Spain. 130 El Colacho involves grown men dressed as the Devil leaping over babies on mattresses. The ritual has been practiced since 1620 in north-west Spain. The number of tons of tomatoes thrown at the 2013 La Tomatina festival in Bunol. GIN 62% Spain is third biggest consumer of gin in the world, and drink more gin than any other country in Europe - including the UK. The proportion of EU-grown olives produced by Spain. SPANISH FLU didn't actually originate from Spain. It is said to have started in the USA. So as you can see, it's not just beaches, tapas and sangria - the country has plenty more to offer. Head to Spain to find out for yourself! SOURCES 10 facts about the Spanish language - bbc.co.uk Shutterstock images Ecuadorean super-snorer bbc.co.uk Euro 2012 - bbc.co.uk Image ID - 150939656 / www.shutterstock.com Spain profile - bbc.co.uk Image ID - 98796905 / www.shutterstock.com The shut up'ringtone - bbc.co.uk Image ID - 128738504 / www.shutterstock.com The world factbook - cia.gov Image ID - 9442009 /www.shutterstock.com Spain reports record tourism figures - telegraph.co.uk Image ID - 9624931/ www.shutterstock.com Economic analysis of the olive sector ec.europa.eu Kids' Corner: Spain - europa.eu Image ID - 162380924 / www.shutterstock.com Image ID - 101228287 /www.shutterstock.com Image ID - 92268244 / www.shutterstock.com Image ID - 134640320 / www.shutterstock.com Spain - -europa.eu La Tomatina 2013 - huffingtonpost.com Brit mum has heaviest bon - news.sky.com Image ID - 127326026 / www.shutterstock.com Image ID - 89581462 / www.shutterstock.com Too much of a sweeping view - nytimes.com Gin still whetting S Image ID - 114314737/ www.shutterstock.com First Spanish actor to win Oscar - reuters.com Image ID - 120314338/ www.shutterstock.com Menorca - roughnguldes.com Image ID - 143762305 / www.shutterstock.com Spain: Fact file - ime roughguides.com Image ID - 153176222 / www.shutterstock.com Spain: Where to go - Image ID - 123191800 / www.shutterstock.com Quite interesting facts about Spain - telegraph.co.uk Aerial views of the alien landscapes - telegraph.co.uk Editorial shutterstock images You say Majorca - telegraph.co.uk Europe: Where do people live - theguardian.com Spanish stereotypes - theguardak KYIV, UKRAINE- JULY 1, katatonia82 / Image ID- 107264264/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=107264264&src=id Fun Facts about Spain - donquijote.org 5 fun facts about Spain - today.com Javier Bardem at the 80th Annual Academy Awards, Featureflash / Image ID - 87610306/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=87610306&src=id JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 21, fstockfoto / Image ID- 100668226/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=100668226&srcld What are the world's best metro systems - travel.cnn.com Global Divide on Homosexuality - pewglobal.org PAMPLONA, SPAIN -JULY 8, Migel /Image ID - 86999759/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id 86999759&srcuid Information on bullfighting in Spain - traveltips.usatoday.com Three Spanish surnames in world top ten - thinkspain.com PAMPLONA-JULY 8, Migel / Image ID - 86439718/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id-86439718&src-id World Gin industry - ginvodka.org Italians are passing off Spanish Olive ol as being Italian - murciatoday.com Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos I, Shelly Wall / Image ID - 92216803/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=922168038src=id A Brief History of the Running on the Bulls - content.time.com Bloomberg Billionaires Index - washingtonpost.com Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Northfoto / Image ID - 130512764 / www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=130512764&src=id Holiday in Madrid - trafalgar.com The site of origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic and its public health implications- nebi.nim.nih.gov Novilladas in Las Ventas. Novillero, Matej Kastelic / Image ID- 82514215/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id-82514215&src=id People in La Tomatina festival, lakov Filimonov / Image ID - 153142754/ www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=153142754&src=id World's Okdest Cave Art Found - news.nationalgeographic.co.uk Spain's weird and wonderful festivals - telegraph.co.uk PRODUCED BY HOUSE TRIP 0001 BANCO DE ESPANA un ----------------.