Spain Passport

[Country Name] The Kingdom of Spain.

【 Area 】 506000 square kilometers.

【 Population 】 48.59 million people (as of January 2024), mainly Castilian (i.e. Spanish), with ethnic minorities including Catalans, Galicians, Basques, etc. The official language and national lingua franca is Castilian (i.e. Spanish). Catalan, Galician, Valencian, and Basque are also official languages in their respective autonomous regions. Most residents believe in Catholicism.

Madrid, the capital, has a population of 3.33 million.

[Head of State] King Felipe VI ascended to the throne in June 2014. Princess Leonor, the eldest daughter, is now the Crown Prince of Spain.

National Day: October 12th; Constitution Day: December 6th.

【 Overview 】 Located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It borders Portugal to the west, France and Andorra to the northeast, the Bay of Biscay to the north, Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The coastline is about 7800 kilometers long. The central plateau has a continental climate, while the northern and northwestern coastal areas have a maritime climate. The average temperature in Madrid is 4.9 ℃ in January and 22.5 ℃ in August.

After the victory of the "Restoration Movement" in 1492, a unified Spanish feudal dynasty was established, and Columbus arrived in the West Indies on October 12 of the same year. Afterwards, the West gradually became a maritime power, with colonies in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. In 1588, the Western Armada was defeated by Britain and began to decline. The First Republic was established in 1873. The Second Republic was established in 1931. The civil war broke out from 1936 to 1939.    

In 1947, Franco nominally restored the monarchy, but for a long time, he acted as regent dictatorship and sidelined royal power. Franco passed away in November 1975, and King Juan Carlos I ascended to the throne. In July 1976, Juan Carlos I appointed Adolph Suarez, former Secretary General of the National Movement, as Prime Minister, marking the transition to parliamentary democracy. In 1978, a parliamentary monarchy was declared. In June 2014, Juan Carlos I abdicated and Felipe VI ascended to the throne.

The current Constitution was passed by a national referendum on December 6, 1978 and came into effect on December 29. The Constitution stipulates that Spain implements a parliamentary monarchy, and the throne is inherited by the direct descendants of Juan Carlos I. The king is the head of state, and the government governs the country and is accountable to the parliament. Judges at all levels of the court independently exercise judicial power in the name of the king. The Constitution recognizes and guarantees the autonomy of all ethnic regions.

The parliament is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, exercising legislative power, approving fiscal budgets, and supervising government work. The legislative power is mainly held by the House of Representatives, with the Senate as the regional representative chamber. Members of parliament are elected by universal suffrage for a term of four years. On May 29, 2023, Prime Minister Sanchez announced the dissolution of parliament and held early elections on July 23. The new parliament was established on August 17th. People's Party Senator Roland serves as the Speaker of the Senate, while Worker Socialist Party Congressman Amengor serves as the Speaker of the House.

According to the results of the parliamentary elections on July 23, the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives is as follows: People's Party: 137 seats, Workers' and Social Party: 121 seats, Call Party: 33 seats, "Solidarity Movement": 31 seats, Catalan Republican Left: 7 seatsSeat, "Together for Catalonia": 7 seats, Basque Unity Party: 6 seats, Basque Nationalist Party: 5 seats, others: 3 seats.

After consultation with various parties in the House of Representatives, the King nominates a candidate for Prime Minister, who is then appointed by a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister is the head of government, who nominates Deputy Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, and forms the government. On July 23, 2023, Spain held parliamentary elections, and King Felipe VI nominated People's Party Chairman Feho as the candidate for Prime Minister, but Feho did not pass the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. The king subsequently nominated caretaker government Prime Minister Sanchez as a candidate for Prime Minister. In November, Sanchez was re elected as Prime Minister through a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. On November 21st, a new government was established and sworn in.

The country is divided into 17 autonomous regions, 50 provinces, and over 8100 municipalities, as well as two enclaves in Ceuta and Melilla.

The judicial system is divided into national courts and local courts. The highest judicial institution is the Supreme Court, and the president is recommended by the General Council of Judicial Power and appointed by the king. The General Committee of Judicial Power is the management body of the judicial trial system, consisting of a chairman and 20 members. The position of chairman is temporarily vacant. The current Acting President of the Supreme Court is Francisco Mar í n Cast á n.

There is a Constitutional Court dedicated to supervising and safeguarding the implementation of the Constitution and adjudicating unconstitutional cases, consisting of 12 Grand Justices. The President is elected by the Grand Justices and appointed by the King. The current President of the Constitutional Court is C á ndido Conde Pumpido Tour ó n

The highest procuratorial institution is the National Prosecutor's Office. The current Attorney General of the country, Alvaro Garc í a Ortiz.

Political parties implement a multi-party system. The main political parties include the Workers' Socialist Party, the People's Party, the Voice Party, and the Solidarity Movement.

1. Partido Socialista Obrero Espa ñ ol: a center left ruling party. Established in 1879, it ruled six times from 1982 to 2011 and formed a minority one party government on June 2, 2018. In the April 2019 general election, it became the largest party in parliament, and in the November election of the same year, it was re elected as the largest party. On January 7, 2020, the Labour and Social Party and the left-wing campaign alliance "United We Can" formed a coalition government. In the July 2023 general election, it will become the second largest party in parliament. General Secretary Pedro S á nchez P é rez Castej ó n.

2. Partido Popular: The largest opposition party and center right political party. Originally known as the People's Alliance, it was founded in 1977 and renamed the People's Party in 1989. Implement the 'middle reformism' line. He first came to power in May 1996, was re elected in March 2000, and won the general election again in November 2011. In November 2016, after two rounds of elections and several coalition negotiations, the People's Party struggled to form a government. On June 1, 2018, the People's Party government was impeached and stepped down, and former Prime Minister Rajoy resigned from his position as party chairman. In the April and November 2019 general elections, it was the second largest party in parliament. In the July 2023 general election, it will become the largest party in parliament. Party Chairman Alberto N úñ ez Feij ó o.

3. Vox: a far right political party. Established in December 2013, the party won 24 seats in the House of Representatives in the April 2019 general election, marking its first time winning seats. In both the November 2019 and July 2023 elections, it was the third largest party in parliament. Party Chairman Santiago Abascal.

4. Sumar: a left-wing political organization. Established in March 2023, it includes member parties of the ruling coalition such as the United Left, as well as other national and local parties and social organizations. After the July 2023 general election, it will become the fourth largest party in parliament. The party leader is Yolanda D í az P é rez, the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Economy.

[Important Person] King Felipe VI, born on January 30, 1968 in Madrid, was the youngest son of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia. After graduating from Lakefield High School in Canada in 1985, he received a three-year formal military education at the Zaragoza Army Academy, Marin Naval Academy, and San Javier Air Force Academy in Spain. After completing military school, he entered the Autonomous University of Madrid to study law, economics, information technology, and history. He then went to Georgetown University in the United States for further studies and obtained a master's degree in international relations. In 1977, he was conferred the title of Prince of Asturias by the Spanish Crown Prince and ascended to the throne in June 2014. I love skiing and playing squash, and I am good at sailing. In 2004, she married Letizia and has two daughters. Her eldest daughter, Princess Leonor, is now the Crown Prince of Spain.

Prime Minister Pedro S á nchez, born on February 29, 1972, holds a PhD in Economics and Business Management. Elected as the General Secretary of the Workers' and Social Workers' Party in June 2014, resigned from the position in October 2016, and was re elected as the General Secretary of the Party in May 2017. At the end of May 2018, the then Prime Minister Rajoy was successfully impeached on the grounds of corruption involving the People's Party, and became the new Prime Minister in June. Re elected as Prime Minister twice in January 2020 and November 2023.

Developed industrial countries with a total economic output ranking fourth in the European Union and 15th in the world. The proportion of agriculture, industry, and services to GDP is 2.3%, 20.8%, and 67.9%, respectively. After the 2008 international financial crisis and the European debt crisis, the economy suffered severe impacts. In 2014, it achieved recovery growth, ranking among the top in the European Union. In 2016, GDP exceeded pre crisis levels. In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) was 1.46 trillion euros, a year-on-year increase of 2.5%, which is higher than the average level of the eurozone for the third consecutive year. The per capita GDP is about 30000 euros, the inflation rate is 3.1%, the unemployment rate is 11.76%, the public debt is 1.54 trillion euros, and the public deficit accounts for 3.66%.

The main mineral resources are coal, iron, copper, zinc, mercury, etc. The total forest area is about 15 million hectares, with a coverage rate of about 30%.

The main industrial sectors include food and beverage, automotive, power, chemical, metal products, oil refining, steel, rubber, plastic products, machinery and equipment manufacturing, non-metallic mineral products, etc. The textile, shipbuilding, aerospace, pharmaceutical and other industries also have significant output value.

The main automobile producing and exporting countries in the European Union. In 2023, the automobile production will be approximately 2.4 million units, a year-on-year increase of 13.4%, ranking second in the European Union and eighth in the world; 1.881 million cars were exported, a year-on-year increase of 3.3%, with 70% of car exports going to other EU countries.

The fourth largest agricultural producer in the European Union, the largest exporter of fruits and vegetables in the EU and the third largest in the world, with a high level of agricultural modernization. The developed agricultural and pastoral land area exceeds 24 million hectares, ranking second in the European Union. The main crops are olives, grapes, citrus, etc. The grain crops mainly include barley, wheat, corn, etc. The olive planting area, olive oil production, annual wine production and export volume, and annual export volume of citrus fruits rank among the top in the world. Animal husbandry, marine fishing, and aquaculture all rank among the top in the European Union.

The service industry is one of the important pillars of the national economy, with a developed tourism industry. In 2023, it received 85 million foreign tourists, a year-on-year increase of 18.7%, with tourism revenue of 108.7 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 25%, and a contribution rate of 12.8% to GDP. Tourist destinations include Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, etc. Catalonia is the autonomous region that attracts the most foreign tourists. The headquarters of the United Nations Tourism Organization is located in Madrid.

Main commercial banks: Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), CaixaBank, etc.

【 Transportation 】 Railway: The total mileage is 16000 kilometers. The mileage of high-speed railways exceeds 4000 kilometers, ranking second in the world, with an average speed of 222 kilometers per hour.

Highways: The total length of highways at all levels is approximately 667000 kilometers.

Water transportation: There are over 40 major ports, with larger ones including Algeciras, Valencia, Barcelona, Cartagena, Bilbao, etc.

Air freight: There are nearly 50 major civil aviation airports, with a passenger volume of 283 million in 2023. Major airports include Madrid Barajas Airport, the fourth largest airport in the European Union, and Barcelona El Prat Airport, the fifth largest airport in the European Union.

In 2023, the total import and export value of goods trade in the West was 826.33 billion euros. Among them, imports amounted to 435.17 billion euros and exports amounted to 391.16 billion euros. Trade deficit of 44.01 billion euros. Mainly importing petroleum, chemical products, fuels, electrical equipment, etc; The main exports include automobiles and accessories, machinery and equipment, chemical products, agricultural and food products, etc. The main trading partners are the European Union, Asia, Latin America, and the United States.

In 2023, 28.2 billion euros of foreign investment will be attracted, mainly flowing into the service industry (54.3%), industry (42.2%), and construction industry (3%). The main investment sources are the United States (28.9%), the United Kingdom (13.1%), Germany (10.6%), and France (9.2%), with significant increases in investment from countries such as Australia, Switzerland, Canada, and Mexico.

The compulsory military service system has been abolished and the professionalization of the military has been achieved. Mainly including the army, navy, and air force, the National Guard is a quasi military force. The king is the supreme commander of the army, authorized by the parliament to declare war and make peace with the outside world. The Prime Minister is responsible for determining national defense policies, handling crisis situations, and providing strategic leadership for military operations. The National Defense Council is a coordinating and advisory body for national defense under the leadership of the Prime Minister, and its meetings are chaired by the Prime Minister or the King. The Ministry of National Defense, under the leadership of the Minister of National Defense, is responsible for implementing national defense policies and regulations, managing the construction of national defense human resources, materials, and weapons and equipment. The Ministry of National Defense has established the National Defense Staff Department, which is responsible for formulating military strategies, managing military construction, and coordinating military actions of various branches of the military. The statutory maximum number of active duty military personnel is 140000. By the end of 2022, there will be approximately 120000 active military personnel, including 76000 in the army, 21000 in the navy, and 23000 in the air force. The defense budget for 2023 is 12.317 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 25.8%, accounting for 1.2% of the gross domestic product. Host the NATO Madrid Summit in June 2022.

Implement free compulsory education for primary and secondary schools (ages 6-16) in cultural education. Primary school 6 years, middle school 4 years, university 4-5 years. The main higher education institutions include Complutense University of Madrid, Autonomous University of Madrid, University of Salamanca, University of Barcelona, etc. The education budget for 2023 is 5.354 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 6.6%.

National comprehensive newspapers mainly include El Pa í s, El Mundo, ABC, La Vanguard, and La Raz ó n. The sports newspaper Marca is the largest newspaper in the country in terms of circulation.

Main News Agency: Agencia EFE, the official news agency (a public enterprise wholly owned by the Western government, appointed and dismissed by the government without interfering in daily operations), founded in January 1939, is one of the top ten news agencies in the world, with branches in over 180 cities in more than 120 countries and regions, and the highest number of Spanish language publications in the world.

Main Television Station: Spanish National Television (TVE) is the only national comprehensive television station among public television stations. Private television stations with significant influence include Cuatro 4, Telecinco 5, La Sexta 6, and Antena 3.

[External Relations] Member states of the European Union, NATO, OECD, and permanent guest countries of the G20. Adhere to Europeanism and focus on the construction of EU institutions. We attach great importance to our relationship with the United States, focus on maintaining our traditional influence in Iberian America, strengthen our relations with the Mediterranean region, Africa, and Arab countries, and actively explore cooperation with emerging Asian countries. Adhere to multilateralism and prioritize issues such as humanitarianism, climate change, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, gender equality, and counter-terrorism in multilateral diplomacy. Emphasize public diplomacy, integrate positive factors from various aspects such as economy, culture, education, and art, and create a good national image.

Regarding Europe as the top three pillars of foreign policy, we strive to play a greater role within the EU and support its strategic autonomy. After the COVID-19, Spain is the second largest beneficiary of the European Union Recovery Fund, and can receive up to 140 billion euros of free aid and loans. By the end of 2023, it has received a total of 37.04 billion euros from the European Union Recovery Fund. To assume the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2023.

Regard the relationship with the United States as an important diplomatic pivot. In September 2015 and June 2018, King Felipe VI visited the United States twice and met with the then President of the United States. In July 2021 and May 2023, Prime Minister Sanchez visited the United States twice. During the NATO Madrid Summit in June 2022, King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Sanchez respectively met with US President Biden.

Regard North Africa as a diplomatic priority in relations with North African countries. Promote peace and democratic processes in relevant countries. Non development aid is tilted towards projects such as healthcare and the 'Good Governance Project'. In March 2022, the West adjusted its traditional stance and publicly endorsed Morocco's proposal for a "high degree of autonomy" for Western Sahara for the first time.

Maintain special traditional relations with Latin American countries and make the development of relations with regional countries a strategic priority. Advocate for the establishment of the Iberian American Community, promote the establishment of the EU Latin America Strategic Partnership, and facilitate the new EU Latin America Community Summit to be held in mid July 2023.

Regarding the Asia Pacific region as a diplomatic priority in the new era, it is believed that the world's economic center is accelerating its shift towards the Asia Pacific region, further developing political, economic, and cultural relations with Asia Pacific countries, and enhancing its influence in the region.