With the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy, the old historic nationalities — Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and Andalusia— were given far-reaching autonomy, which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions, resulting in one of the most decentralized territorial organizations in Western Europe.
Spain's natural surroundings have helped shape the culture of the nation. The success of the Basques in maintaining a separate culture over a period of millennia has doubtless been aided by the mountainous geography of their region. Several separate parts of Spain have strong maritime traditions, including inland ports on rivers: Seville, for example, was a major port until the Guadalquivir silted up. Since the availalability of mass air transport, Spain's Mediterranean beaches, especially those along the Costa del Sol, have drawn millions of tourists, providing considerable revenue (and enormous contact with the outside world) to a long-depressed and isolated area of the country.
Spain suffered a shocking terrorist attack, the March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks on its capital's commuter train network, killing 200. Al-Qaeda has been blamed for this attack. Some have attributed the fall of the Aznar government to this attack, which took place just two days before the 2004 elections. At first the public believed ETA was responsible for the bombing. When they learned Al-Qaeda was the true culprit, many voters lashed out at the media and Aznar's government, believing the two had colluded to deceive the public.
According to the latest official poll, 80% of Spaniards self-identify as Catholic, 12% as non-believer, and 1% as other (the remaining 7% declined to state). Of the 1.4% identifying as other, 29% identified as Evangelical Christian, 26% as Jehovah's Witnesses and 3% as Muslim (the rest either mentioned smaller religions or declined to state). According to the same poll, 73% believe in God, 14% don't and 12% are unsure (1% declined to state). Additionally, according to this poll, only 41% believe in Heaven. 24% of the Spaniards think that the Bible is just a fable. Only 25% of Catholics go to church at least once a week.
Until 1714, Spain was a loose confederation of kingdoms and statelets, under the same king, until King Philip V removed the autonomous status of the Aragonese crown. Moreover, the creation of a unified state in the 19th and 20th centuries has lead to the present situation, apparently simple, but sometimes extremely confusing. During the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936), the Basque and Catalan were given limited self-government, which was lost after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and restored in 1978 during the transition to democracy.
Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains with medium rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain is bound to the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands), to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west by the Atlantic Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African coast are found.
Terrorism is a problem of present-day Spain, since ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) is trying to achieve Basque independence through violent means, including bombings and murders. Although Basque Autonomous government does not condone any kind of violence, the different approaches to the problem are a source of tension between Central and Basque governments. Besides ETA violence, the conflict in the Basque Country is also shaped by the non-acceptance on the part of the spanish state of the right of basque people to choose freely their political status. Recently, 2 political parties - which in previous elections had received the support of around 15% of the popular vote- have been banned due to their negative to condemn publicly ETA violence in the terms that the main spanish political parties wanted.
The dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera collapsed in 1930. Disgusted with the king's involvement in it, urban population voted for republican parties in the municipal elections of April 1931. The king was forced to resign and a republic was established.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Germanic tribes invaded the former empire, several turned sedentary and created successor-kingdoms to the Romans in various parts of Europe. Iberia was taken over by the Visigoths after 410.In the Iberian peninsula, as elsewhere, the Empire fell not with a bang but with a whimper. Rather than there being any convenient date for the "fall of the Roman Empire" there was a progressive "de-Romanization" of the Western Roman Empire in Hispania and a weakening of central authority, throughout the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries. At the same time, there was a process of "Romanization" of the Germanic and Hunnic tribes settled on both sides of the limes (the fortified frontier of the Empire along the Rhine and Danube rivers). The Visigoths, for example, were converted to Arian Christianity around 360, even before they were pushed into imperial territory by the expansion of the Huns. In the winter of 406, taking advantage of the frozen Rhine, the (Germanic) Vandals and Sueves, and the (Asiatic) Alans invaded the empire in force. Three years later they crossed the Pyrenees into Iberia and divided the Western parts, roughly corresponding to modern Portugal and western Spain as far as Madrid, between them. The Visigoths meanwhile, having sacked Rome two years earlier, arrived in the region in 412 founding the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse (in the south of modern France) and gradually expanded their influence into the Iberian peninsula at the expense of the Vandals and Alans, who moved on into North Africa without leaving much permanent mark on Hispanic culture. The Visigothic kingdom shifted its capital to Toledo and reached a high point during the reign of Leovigild, treated in some detail at its own entry.
The expulsion of the Muslims was reputedly started by the first King of Asturias, named Pelayo (718-737), who started his fight against the Moors in the mountains of Covadonga (722). Later, his sons and descendants continued with his work until all of the Muslims were expelled. Meanwhile, in the east of the peninsula the Frankish emperors established the Marca Hispanica across the Pyrenees in part of what today is Catalonia, reconquering Girona in 785 and Barcelona in 801. It was a buffer zone against Islam.
The crown jewel of Spain's next decade of infrastructure construction is the Spanish high speed rail network, Alta Velocidad Española AVE. Currently, an ambitious plan includes the construction of a 7000 km network, centered naturally on Madrid. The overall goal is to have all important provincial cities be no more than 4 hours away from Madrid, and no more than 6 hours away from Barcelona. Currently, AVE high-speed trains link Atocha station to Seville in the south and Lleida in the east (to be extended to Barcelona).
1.
Flight spain on Kelkoo.co.uk | Find. Compare. Save.Buy flight spain and save with Kelkoo | Compare prices on Software programs and Video games for computer.
2.
Flights at Cheap Prices Worldwide | Terminal A UKFly from the UK worldwide. Find flights to your destination and go compare prices between hundreds of flights and tickets. Buy your tickets today and fly tomorrow.
3.
Monarch Airlines - Book a cheap flight to Spain today.Monarch Airlines offer low cost cheap flights, discount flights, last minute flights information, and online booking functionality for flights to Spain
4.
Cheap flights to Spain - Travel GuideLooking for cheap flights to Spain? Make sure you read our Spain Travel Guide which includes flight deals, insider info, when best to fly and more...
5.
Cheap flights to Spain by Just the FlightCheap flights to Spain via the secure Just the Flight online reservations system ... Book a flight to Spain and visit Badajoz and the Palacio de los Duques de Feria, ...
6.
Cheap Flights to SpainFind cheap flights to Spain with Skyscanner. Compare low cost, budget & scheduled airline flights & air travel deals book direct, no fees.
7.
United Airlines - Official UK Site Search for flights and compare fares with United Airlines. Discover discounted Internet fares when you book online. Find great deals on flights to the US and beyond.
8.
Spain Flights: Cheap flights to Spain, Europe - lastminute.com... fantastic savings on Spain flights. ... amazing deals on cheap Spain flights? Well, you've found the right ... your cheap Spain flight today with ...
9.
Cheap flights to Spain with OpodoSpain - melding castanets, the costas and high-culture. Book your cheap flights to Spain with Opodo ... Find cheap flights to Spain using our simple search ...
10.
Flight to Spain - The place to book your flight to Spainflight2spain.co.uk get the best prices on flights to spain. ... Here at Flight to Spain we are able to bring you the best deals on Economy, ...
11.
Travel at eBay UKSearch, Bid and Win on items in the Travel Category. Only on eBay.co.uk
12.
Flights to Spain - Search and Compare Spain FlightsFind flights to Spain and get the latest offers from over 250 major brands. ... Find flights to Spain. Select your preferred destination from the cities listed below. ...
13.
Spain Holidays Cheap Flights and Bargain Holidays in Spain and ...Cheap Spain holidays in the Costas or Spanish Islands provide the perfect mix of ... possibilities and short, cheap flights, Spain continues to rank among the ...
14.
Cheap Flights to Spain | Flight CentreFlight Centre is a global travel agency specialising in discount airfares, accommodation, hotels, packaged holidays, cruises, tours, car hire and travel insurance.
15.
Reviews: Las Golondrinas, Spain - TripAdvisorLas Golondrinas, Spain, Europe: Las Golondrinas Wonderful. - Visit TripAdvisor for 2 unbiased traveler reviews of Las Golondrinas.
16.
Fly from Leeds to Milan | KLM.comBook your flight from Leeds to Milan on KLM.com, Royal Dutch Airlines. Select your dates and buy your ticket online from £187.
17.
Balloon Flights Spain - Hot Air Balloon Flights - Hot Air Balloon Rides ...Hot air balloon flights in Spain, Hot air balloon rides in Portugal and Mallorca, Majorca, hot air balloon trips ... © Balloon Flights Spain 2007 - All ...
18.
SPAIN Flights | Find Cheap Flights to SPAIN - Kelkoo UKFind discount airline flights to SPAIN on Kelkoo UK. ... cheap flights to SPAIN by selecting ... Return Flight to PORT OF SPAIN PIARCO from LONDON GATWICK ...
19.
Cheap flights worldwide from Avro, the low-cost flight providerBook your cheap flight to Spain online at avro.co.uk. ... We offer cheap flights to Spain from the following departure airports: ...
20.
Spain flights - Cheap Flights to Spain with ebookers.com.ebookers.com offers discount deals on Spain flights. ... up with the leading airlines to offer you rock-bottom prices on flights to Spain. ...
21.
Cheap Flights from SpainFind cheap flights from Spain with Skyscanner. Compare low cost, budget & scheduled airline flights & air travel deals book direct, no fees.
22.
Flights | Flight Deals | Flight Centre UKFlight Centre offers cheap flights and discount airfares to Spain. ... Flight Deals. Search Results for: Worldwide > Europe > Spain. Make a new Flight Search ...
23.
Cheap flights to Spain | compare Spain flights here - travelsupermarket.comAre you searching for a cheap flight to Spain? ... To book a flight to Spain just enter your preferred airport(s) and dates for ...
24.
Cheap Spanish Flights - Low Cost - Cheap Flights to SpainFlights to Spain - Cheap Spanish flights have never been easier to find thanks to a proliferation of low-cost airlines and bargain tour operators which now offer ...
25.
Last minute flights to Spain with OpodoVisit Spain, a wealth of rich historical culture. Book your last minute flights to Spain with Opodo ... Book a last minute flight to Spain ...
26.
EBookers.com Holidays | Book a Cheap Holiday Trip or Last Minute BreakHolidays - Book your cheap holidays, bank holidays, family holidays, beach holidays and last-minute holidays with www.ebookers.com
27.
Flights to Spain [charterflights.co.uk]Charter Flight Centre has been specialising in selling flights to Spain for nearly 20 years. ... As a result flights to Spain are amongst the most popular ...
28.
Flight booking, hotels and car hire - easyJet.comBook cheap flights online with easyJet. Find low cost flights to Spain, France, Germany, Italy and more. With great deals across Europe, find a flight offer that ...
29.
Monarch Airlines > Cheap FlightsBook budget flights online quickly and easily with our ... Cheap flights to Cyprus. Cheap flights to England. Cheap flights to Portugal. Cheap flights to Spain ...
30.
Holiday Extras from My Travel Extras - Airport Parking, Hotels and ...... Breaks, Theme Park Breaks, Cheap Flights & more - Holiday Extras from My Travel ... spain, london theatre break, cheap flight, theme park break, annual travel ...
31.
Lycafly.com Cheap Flights, Hotels, Holidays, City BreaksFind exclusive deals on Cheap European City Breaks, Cheap Package Holidays around the world and Cheap online Flights with Lycafly.com. Escape to a warmer climate ...
32.
easyJet.com - Late deal flights to Spain & PortugalCheap late flights to Spain & Portugal from £39.99 single ... With summer flights to Spain and Portugal from just £39.99 single including ...
33.
Airline May Extend Popular Flights to Spain From Cornwall | Article14-FEB-06 - International flights from a Cornish airport could be extended due to their popularity. Monarch Airlines began flying out of Newquay... | Free With Signup
34.
Books by Bernal Diaz del Castillo at Tesco.comBuy Bernal Diaz del Castillo books at Tesco.com including Conquest of New Spain for only £9.09. Tesco's has thousands of other books for you to get stuck into
35.
RyanairAirline that offers flights within Ireland and to other European destinations.
Flight Spain and Spain online resources.