Spain Essay, Research Paper

Canaria has central mountains and rich valleys. Las Palmas, the largest city of the Canary Islands, lies on Gran Canaria. Fuerteventura is flatter, drier, and less populated than Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

Spain climate is sunny and hot, but it is good weather. The Meseta and other inland regions of Spain have dry, sunny weather throughout the year. These regions, which make up most of Spain, have hot summers and cold winters. The average temperature fo

some areas rises above 80 .F (27 .C) in July, the hottest month. It may fall below 30 .F ( 1 .C) in January, the coldest month. Summer and winter droughts-broken only by occasional rainstorms-are common. In addition, steady winds often whip up the dry s

l. Snow covers upper mountain slopes in the Meseta region during most of the winter. Mild, rainy winters alternate with hot, dry, sunny summers in the Coastal Plains and the Balearic Islands. The average January temperature rarely falls below 40 .F (4 .

, and the average July temperature usually rises to almost 80 .F (27 .C). Short, heavy rainstorms are common in winter. But summer droughts last up to three months in some areas. The dry, sunny summers attract millions of vacationers to the Balearic Is

nds and to Costa Brava, Costa Del Sol, and other famous resort areas along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. The Canary Islands, also a popular vacation area, have mild to warm temperatures all year. Winds from the Atlantic Ocean bring mild, wet weather to

e Northern Mountains in all seasons. The region has Spain’s heaviest precipitation (rain, snow, and other forms of moisture). Rain falls much of the time throughout the year, usually in a steady drizzle. There are many cloudy, humid days, and fog and mi

often roll in from the sea. This region’s heaviest precipitation comes in winter, when the upper mountain ranges usually build up deep snow. In January, the average temperature in the region rarely falls below 40 .F (4 .C), and the average July tempera

re seldom rises above 70 .F (21 .C).

During the 1950’s and 1960’s, Spain achieved one of the highest rates of economic growth in the world. The nation’s automobile, construction, and steel industries boomed, and the Spanish tourist trade flourished. As a result, the standard of living of

st Spaniards rose rapidly. During the mid-1960’s, the government began to ease some of its restrictions on personal freedom. In 1966, for example, the government relaxed its strict censorship of the press. But protests against the government erupted. St

ent demonstrations began in 1968 at the universities of Barcelona and Madrid. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, people in several Spanish regions protested against the powers of Spain’s national government. Some people in the Basque provinces demanded indep

dence for their region. Other Basques did not favor independence but called for greater control over their government affairs. Some people in the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, and Galicia also called for more control over their government a

airs. In the late 1960’s, a Basque organization that favored independence began a terrorist campaign against the Spanish government. Under Franco, many Basques and other Spaniards were arrested for revolutionary activities. In 1975, Franco’s government

ecuted five terrorists. Spain’s economy continued to expand in the 1970’s. But extreme inflation and lack of technical development slowed the rate of progress. Franco died in November 1975. Spain then entered a period of major political change. It quick

began a process of establishing a democratic government to replace Franco’s dictatorship. In 1969, Franco had declared that Prince Juan Carlos would become king of Spain after Franco’s death or retirement. Juan Carlos is a grandson of King Alfonso XIII

who left Spain in 1931. Juan Carlos became king two days after Franco died. In 1976, he made Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez prime minister. Juan Carlos, Suarez, and most other Spaniards favored changing Spain’s government from a dictatorship to a democracy. In

76, Spain’s new government ended Franco’s ban on political parties other than his own. In 1977, the government held elections in which several political parties competed for seats in the parliament. This marked the first time since 1936 that the people

Spain were given a choice of candidates in parliamentary elections. In the elections, the Union of the Democratic Center, headed by Prime Minister Suarez, won the most seats. In 1978, the voters of Spain approved a new constitution based on democratic

inciples. In elections held after the adoption of the Constitution, the Union of the Democratic Center again won the most seats in parliament. In 1981, Suarez resigned as prime minister. Juan Carlos appointed Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo of the Union of the De

cratic Center to succeed Suarez. Spain’s democratic government began a process of increasing local government power in the country’s regions. In 1980, people in the Basque provinces and Catalonia elected regional parliaments. Since then, the people of a

other regions have also elected parliaments. Basque separatists, however, continued their terrorist campaign for complete independence. In elections in 1982, the Socialist Workers’ Party won the most seats in parliament. Felipe Gonzalez, the party’s le

er, became prime minister. The elections gave Spain its first leftist government since 1939. The Socialist Workers’ Party won again in 1986, 1989, and 1993, and Gonzalez remained prime minister. In 1986, Spain joined the European Community (EC), an econ

ic organization of European nations. In 1993, Spain and the other EC countries formed the European Union, which works for both economic and political cooperation among its members. The EC was incorporated into the European Union.

In elections in 1996, the center-right Popular Party won the most seats in parliament. Its leader, Jose Maria Aznar, became prime minister. In 1998, the Basque separatist movement declared a cease-fire and raised hopes for an end to 30 years of violenc

Early in 2000, however, the separatists resumed their terrorist attacks. Elections in 2000 again gave the Popular Party most of the seats in parliament, and Aznar remained prime minister.

Spain is a beautiful country and wonderful to live there and learn about their culture, beliefs, languages, and etc.