s (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: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas,
and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

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

National holiday: Hispanic Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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 Interior)
Mariano RAJOY (since 27 April 2000) and Second Vice President (and
Minister of Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May 1996) 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
election results: 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 elections: the
monarch is hereditary; president proposed by the monarch and elected by
the National Assembly following legislative elections; 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

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