graphy - note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of
Gibraltar

@Spain:People

Population: 39,107,912 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 3,121,625; female 2,942,492)
15-64 years: 69% (male 13,396,398; female 13,400,728)
65 years and over: 16% (male 2,592,692; female 3,653,977) (July 1997
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.06% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 9.94 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.54 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 77.39 years
male: 73.59 years
female: 81.46 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.18 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 98%
female: 94% (1986 est.)

@Spain:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local short form: Espana

Data code: SP

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

National capital: Madrid

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades
autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon,
Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon,
Cataluna, Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares,
La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco
note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of
Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and
Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown

Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

National holiday: National Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not
accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November