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COUNTRY INFORMATION - SPAIN

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Location Of Spain
Spain shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal and is bounded to the north by the Pyrenees, which separate Spain from France. The Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, 120 miles southeast of Barcelona, and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa are part of Spain, as are the tiny enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African mainland. The Pyrenees stretch roughly 249 miles from the Basque Country in the west to the Mediterranean Sea. At times the peaks rise to over 5000ft, the highest point being 11,169ft. The main physical feature of Spain is the vast central plateau, divided by several chains of sierras. The Mediterranean coastal area reaches from the French frontier in the northeast down to the Straits of Gibraltar, the narrow strip of water linking the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and separating Spain from North Africa.

Airports
Spain boasts over 30 international airports. Information on the major airports follows;
Madrid Airport is 8 miles northeast of the city. Coach services depart to the city around every 10 minutes (04:45-02:00) and underground services run every 5 minutes (06:30-01:30). Taxi service is also available;
Barcelona Airport is 8 miles southwest of the city. Bus services to the city depart Mon-Fri every 15 minutes, Sat every 30 mins and Sun every 20 mins (06:00-24:00). Rail service is every 30 minutes (06:13-23:40). Taxi service to the city is also available;
Alicante Airport is 7 miles southwest of the city. Bus services run to the city (07:00-23:35). A taxi service is available to the city and there is a taxi connection between Alicante and Valencia Airport;
Bilbao Airport is 7 miles north of the city. A new airport terminal, control tower and other improvements were completed late November 2000. Bus, taxi and rail services to the city are available;
Málaga Airport is 7 miles southwest of the city. Buses run every 30 minutes. Train services run every 30 minutes. A taxi service to the city is also available;
Santiago de Compostela Airport is 6 miles northeast of the city. Buses and taxis are available to the city centre;
Seville Airport is 7 miles from the city. Taxis and buses are available to the city centre.

Language
The official language is Spanish but there are four types and they are Castillian, Catalan, Galician and Basque. English and French are also spoken in tourist areas.

Places To Go
A land of extraordinary geographical and cultural diversity, it has much to offer the tourist. While the Mediterranean beach resorts on the Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol continue to attract sun seekers, the terrain is amazingly diverse with a huge variety of landscapes: deciduous and coniferous forests; arid plains; salt marshes; rocky bays and coves; peaks; verdant river valleys and mountain streams. The nightclubs of Ibiza, Barcelona and Madrid have attracted the attention of the international media, but the variety on offer caters for most tastes. Things work up to la marcha (good fun) relatively late and it is possible to dance literally until dawn. Flamenco or other regional dancing displays provide an alternative for those who prefer to watch dancing. This country offers so much for tourists of all walks of life.

Spanish Embassy
39 Chesham Place
London
SW1X 8SB
UK
Tel: (020) 7235 5555
Fax: (020) 7259 5392.
E-mail: embespuk@mail.mae.es

British Embassy
Calle de Fernando el Santo 16
28010 Madrid
Spain
Tel: (91) 700 8200 or 319 0200
Fax: (91) 700 8272.
E-mail: presslibrary@ukinspain.com
Website: www.ukinspain.com

CIA World Factbook - Spain
Spain Tourist Board

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