Barcelona, the capital of the Catalonia region, is situated on the northeast coast of Spain, near the border with France. Its vibrant cosmopolitan population and economic importance make it one of the most dynamic cities on the Mediterranean. Barcelona is said to be the world’s busiest seaport. The city is the commercial center of the Costa Brava, Spain’s northernmost Mediterranean seafront, and a popular holiday region.
Barcelona has its own distinctive culture, language (Catalan), and history.
In fact, the two official languages are Catalan and Castilian (Spanish), but the importance of tourism and the city's historic role as a crossroads between cultures means that other languages are also regularly heard.
The 1992 Summer Olympics transformed Barcelona, and the appeal for visitors from around the world has only escalated since.
A city of vibrant contrasts – and one of Europe’s most stylish and dynamic cities – Barcelona blends gothic and modern art and architecture.
Barcelona is also a center of international cultural interest, with works by renowned artists such as Gaudi, Picasso, Miró and Dalí.
Some of the city’s more famous landmarks are “Las Ramblas,” a long, tree-lined pedestrian avenue (perhaps the most famous street in Europe, which winds through the old/gothic city, “Barri Gotic”); the Picasso Museum; Guell Park (photo, top) with incomparable views and Gaudi’s unique artistic creations; and Gaudi’s improbable “Sagrada Familia” cathedral (and still a work-in-progress) with 360-foot spires. In fact, there are nearly 50 museums to visit in Barcelona.
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Pop: 1.5 million within the city limits, 5 million in metropolitan area
Spain is virtually unspoiled by modern standards, yet is the number one destination for European travelers.
Its culture, folklore, and unique appreciation of celebration, chivalry, and hospitality have survived through the modernization of the 20th century, perhaps more so than any other country in Western Europe.
Spain has a rich artistic heritage.
Prominent artists include Picasso, El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. Spain's architecture ranges widely: prehistoric monuments; Roman ruins; Islamic marvels such as the Alhambra; gothic cathedrals; castles and palaces; and Gaudí's many works of wonder.
One of the world's greatest works of fiction is the 17th-century novel Don Quijote de la Mancha, written by Spain's Miguel de Cervantes. Important 20th-century writers include Miguel de Unamuno, Federico García Lorca, and Camilo José Cela (winner of the 1989 Nobel Prize for literature).
Spain is the second largest country in western Europe, after France, and has the eighth largest economy in the world.
The official language is Spanish (Castilian Spanish) although other languages are spoken regionally, including Catalan (in Barcelona), Galician and Basque.
Population: 42 million
Languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan
Capital: Madrid
Currency: Euro
National holiday: 6 December (Constitution Day)
Local time: GMT+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC)
Just after WWII, the governing leaders of France and Germany realized the need for a cooperative organization that would essentially make war in Europe impossible. In 1951 the first European organization was born, the European Coal and Steel Community, with six members. Spain joined the nascent EU along with Portugal in the third wave of accession, in 1986.
The EU represents perhaps the most successful intragovernmental and supranational cooperation in history. In a territory that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the eastern border of Russia and from the Arctic Circle to the small islands of the Mediterranean, member states of the EU have pledged to:
free movement of persons within the territory
free movement of capital within the territory
a common currency and common monetary policies
a common foreign and security policy
Currently, the European Union has 27 member countries. The euro is not yet the official currency in all of them, but is slated to become so within approximately ten years.
