Interesting Facts About Spain for Kids

The Kingdom of Spain, a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy is a part of the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe, with a population of 46,030,109 people. Madrid is the largest city and also the capital of Spain. The natives call their country España.

History, Geography and Economics

In the 16th and early 17th century, Spain became the strongest kingdom in Europe and a leading world power, with its colonies spreading to the gold laden South America and Mexico. The current monarch is King Juan Carlos I, who inherited the throne from General Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain (from 1939 until 1975), post the Spanish Civil War.

The economy of Spain thrives on its tourism industry. Spain is very well-known for its beaches, sunny weather, scenic islands, and a Mediterranean atmosphere, which attracts loads of tourists from across the world. The Teide (Tenerife, Canary Islands) is the highest peak in Spain and also the third largest volcano in the world, measured from its base. The weather in Spain consists of extreme climates include the very hot summers and very cold winters. At 504,782 Sq km, Spain is the world's 51st largest country, land wise.

Society and Culture

The official language of Spain is Castilian Spanish which is also the second most spoken language in the world. It is spoken in 23 countries. A majority of the Spanish population is Catholic, though Spain was a Muslim country for over 300 years as it was under Moorish rule until 1492.

Bullfighting is a traditional Spanish pastime and is also known as La Fiesta Nacional. Bullfighting in Spain in general is losing its popularity because the Catalonian regional parliament has passed a motion discouraging this activity in the region. Soccer (football) is also a very popular sport in Spain with the national football team participating in several international matches, not to mention the countless matches that take place within Europe.

In Spain, privacy holds utmost importance. It is evident in Spaniards' mannerism and behavior. For example, they always call before they visit a person's home or office. Their conversations are mostly about general affairs, and they rarely discuss anything about their personal lives. They tend to stand close and frequently touch one another on the arm while conversing. Spaniards are very independent people. They move out of their parents homes at around the age of 18 and are expected to start earning and manage their own finances. The most famous type of Spanish music is Flamenco, which includes songs, dance and guitar music.

Spanish cuisine revolves around seafood along with pulses and potato. Rice is also an important ingredient in Spanish food and is also the main ingredient in la paella, a traditional dish of Spain, which is cooked outside in open air. This country is the world's biggest producer of olives which are used in pickles and to make olive oil.

The Spanish celebrate Christmas till the 6 January! They believe that on this day the three kings had visited baby Jesus and presented him with gifts. On this day of Epiphany, children in Spain receive a lot of gifts from their parents and relatives on this day. It is similar to the tradition of Santa Claus leaving gifts for children on the eve of Christmas. Every year, on the last Wednesday of August, they celebrate a festival called La Tomatina which is tomato fight! Thousands of people join in the tomato throwing event in Buñol, near Valencia. On New Year's day, it is their tradition to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one grape for each stroke of the clock, and a sign of good luck. One grape is eaten for one month of the year. Adios!