Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Spain (2003) - United Arab Emirates (2002)

Compare Spain (2003) z United Arab Emirates (2002)

 Spain (2003)United Arab Emirates (2002)
 SpainUnited Arab Emirates
Administrative divisions 19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)


note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of Morocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)


15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121)


65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545)


15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275)


65 years and over: 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Airports 152 (2002) 38 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 93


over 3,047 m: 15


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 27 (2002)
total: 19 22


over 3,047 m: 8 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4


914 to 1,523 m: 2 3


under 914 m: 4 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 59


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 43 (2002)
total: 19 19


over 3,047 m: 1 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3


914 to 1,523 m: 9 9


under 914 m: 5 5 (2002)
Area total: 504,782 sq km


land: 499,542 sq km


water: 5,240 sq km


note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
total: 82,880 sq km


land: 82,880 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of Oregon slightly smaller than Maine
Background Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986. Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and further reductions in unemployment. The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
Birth rate 10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $105 billion


expenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2000 est.)
revenues: $20 billion


expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Madrid Abu Dhabi
Climate temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline 4,964 km 1,318 km
Constitution 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain


conventional short form: Spain


local short form: Espana
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates


conventional short form: none


local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah


local short form: none


former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States


abbreviation: UAE
Currency euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions with the member countries
Emirati dirham (AED)
Death rate 9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $90 billion (1993 est.) $12.6 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROS


embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid


mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642


telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200


FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303


consulate(s) general: Barcelona
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA


embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi


mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi


telephone: [971] (2) 4436691


FAX: [971] (2) 4435441


consulate(s) general: Dubai
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubio


chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340


FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI


chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400


FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
Disputes - international Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds; Portugal has periodically reasserted claims to territories around the town of Olivenza, Spain Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, and the UAE-Oman boundary line was formally recognized in June 2000;; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.33 billion (1999) $NA
Economy - overview Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration has continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily falling under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. The government intends to make further progress in changing labor laws and reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitiveness in a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reduced cooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years. The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
Electricity - consumption 210.4 billion kWh (2001) 35.991 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 4.138 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 7.588 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 222.5 billion kWh (2001) 38.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 50.4%


hydro: 18.2%


nuclear: 27.2%


other: 4.1% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Environment - current issues pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)


note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999) Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)
Executive branch chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968


head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since 4 September 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president


note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government


elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president


election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party (PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections
chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)


head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power


elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president


election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Exports 135,100 bbl/day (2001) $47.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%, US 4.6% (2002) Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 31%


services: 65% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 46%


services: 51% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 5.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 4 00 W 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Geography - note strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports 7 (2002) 2 (2002)
Highways total: 663,795 km


paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)


unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)
total: 4,835 km


paved: 4,835 km


unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002
Imports 1.582 million bbl/day (2001) $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods; foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997) machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8% (2002) Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999)
Independence the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain 2 December 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 1.2% (2002 est.) 4% (2000)
Industries textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Infant mortality rate total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2002 est.) 4.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 56 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 36,400 sq km (1998 est.) 720 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 17.1 million (2001) 1.6 million


note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.) services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,917.8 km


border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
total: 867 km


border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Land use arable land: 28.6%


permanent crops: 9.56%


other: 61.84% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.48%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 99.03% (1998 est.)
Languages Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%


note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Legal system civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
Legislative branch bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE 34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127, PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8, PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5
unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)


elections: none


note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.23 years


male: 75.87 years


female: 82.8 years (2003 est.)
total population: 74.52 years


male: 72.06 years


female: 77.1 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.9%


male: 98.7%


female: 97.2% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.2%


male: 78.9%


female: 79.8% (1995 est.)
Location Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references Europe Middle East
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)


territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,585,563 GRT/2,022,104 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 10, container 13, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 33, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 4


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 7, Italy 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Uruguay 3 (2002 est.)
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT


ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $8.6 billion (2002) $1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.15% (2002) 3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 10,524,715 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 773,938


note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age (2003 est.) 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 255,826 (2003 est.) males: 25,482 (2002 est.)
National holiday Hispanic Day, 12 October Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Nationality noun: Spaniard(s)


adjective: Spanish
noun: Emirati(s)


adjective: Emirati
Natural hazards periodic droughts frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land petroleum, natural gas
Net migration rate 0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 7,290 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,110 km; unknown (oil/water) 397 km (2003) crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
Political parties and leaders Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES] none
Political pressure groups and leaders business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill) NA
Population 40,217,413 (July 2003 est.) 2,445,989


note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.16% (2003 est.) 1.58% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Radio broadcast stations AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 820,000 (1997)
Railways total: 14,189 km


broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)


standard gauge: 455 km 1.435-m gauge (455 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,902 km 1.000-m gauge (781 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2002)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 2.46 male(s)/female


total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none
Telephone system general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons


domestic: NA


international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai


domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Telephones - main lines in use 17.336 million (1999) 915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8.394 million (1999) 1 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)


note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
15 (1997)
Terrain large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Total fertility rate 1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.3% (2002 est.) NA%
Waterways 1,045 km (of minor economic importance) none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.