Spain
occupies 85% of the Iberian Peninsula, which it shares with Portugal, in southwest Europe. Africa is less than 10 mi (16 km) south at the Strait of Gibraltar. A broad central plateau slopes to the south and east, crossed by a series of mountain ranges and river valleys.
Government: Parliamentary monarchy.
History: Spain, originally inhabited by Celts, Iberians, and Basques, became a part of the Roman Empire in 206 B.C. , when it was conquered by Scipio Africanus. In A.D. 412, the barbarian Visigothic leader Ataulf crossed the Pyrenees and ruled Spain, first in the name of the Roman emperor and then independently. In 711, the Muslims under Tariq entered Spain from Africa and within a few years completed the subjugation of the country. In 732, the Franks, led by Charles Martel, defeated the Muslims near Poitiers, thus preventing the further expansion of Islam in southern Europe. Internal dissension of Spanish Islam invited a steady Christian conquest from the north.
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Madrid, 6.574 million
Other large cities: Barcelona, 5.57 million; Valencia, 797,000
Languages: Castilian Spanish 74% (official nationwide); Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% (each official regionally)
Ethnicity/race: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
source: http://www.infoplease.com
Government: Parliamentary monarchy.
History: Spain, originally inhabited by Celts, Iberians, and Basques, became a part of the Roman Empire in 206 B.C. , when it was conquered by Scipio Africanus. In A.D. 412, the barbarian Visigothic leader Ataulf crossed the Pyrenees and ruled Spain, first in the name of the Roman emperor and then independently. In 711, the Muslims under Tariq entered Spain from Africa and within a few years completed the subjugation of the country. In 732, the Franks, led by Charles Martel, defeated the Muslims near Poitiers, thus preventing the further expansion of Islam in southern Europe. Internal dissension of Spanish Islam invited a steady Christian conquest from the north.
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Madrid, 6.574 million
Other large cities: Barcelona, 5.57 million; Valencia, 797,000
Languages: Castilian Spanish 74% (official nationwide); Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% (each official regionally)
Ethnicity/race: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
source: http://www.infoplease.com
Food
In Barcelona food is taken very seriously. People in Barcelona plan supper while eating lunch, when planning a day trip their most important concern is where they are going to eat. Just grabbing a bite to eat is just not an option. In Barcelona eating comes first, when you taste the food you will discover why. Spanish food is very good and one of the healthiest diets in the world. In Barcelona you will find all the Spanish food options and varieties. Catalan cuisine is an ancient Mediterranean style of cooking, characterized by the aromas of the herbs that can be found on the mountains, the animals that are bred locally and the seafood harvested from the Mediterranean.
Tapas: can include practically anything-- from a chunk of tuna, a cocktail onion, and an olive skewered on a long toothpick, to piping hot chorizo sausage served in a small clay dish, to a gourmet slow-cooked beef cheek served over a sweet potato puree. Tapas are served day in and day out in bars and cafés throughout Spain-- though each has a different interpretation of the word and different prices.
Paella: is a rice dish from Spain that has become very popular and is known around the world. It originated in the fields of a region called Valencia in eastern Spain. Valencian people prepared the dish with whatever ingredients they had on hand - rabbit, snails and vegetables. Today paella has spread to every region of Spain, using just about any kind of ingredient that goes well with rice! Actually, there are as many versions of paella as there are cooks. It may contain chicken, pork, shellfish, fish, eel, squid, beans, peas, artichokes or peppers. Saffron, the spice that also turns the rice a wonderful golden color is an essential part of the dish.
Sangria: is an alcoholic beverage of Spanish origin. A punch, the sangria traditionally consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients such as orange juice or brandy.
Source: www.barcelona-easy-guide.com - http://spanishfood.about.com - https://en.wikipedia.org
In Barcelona food is taken very seriously. People in Barcelona plan supper while eating lunch, when planning a day trip their most important concern is where they are going to eat. Just grabbing a bite to eat is just not an option. In Barcelona eating comes first, when you taste the food you will discover why. Spanish food is very good and one of the healthiest diets in the world. In Barcelona you will find all the Spanish food options and varieties. Catalan cuisine is an ancient Mediterranean style of cooking, characterized by the aromas of the herbs that can be found on the mountains, the animals that are bred locally and the seafood harvested from the Mediterranean.
Tapas: can include practically anything-- from a chunk of tuna, a cocktail onion, and an olive skewered on a long toothpick, to piping hot chorizo sausage served in a small clay dish, to a gourmet slow-cooked beef cheek served over a sweet potato puree. Tapas are served day in and day out in bars and cafés throughout Spain-- though each has a different interpretation of the word and different prices.
Paella: is a rice dish from Spain that has become very popular and is known around the world. It originated in the fields of a region called Valencia in eastern Spain. Valencian people prepared the dish with whatever ingredients they had on hand - rabbit, snails and vegetables. Today paella has spread to every region of Spain, using just about any kind of ingredient that goes well with rice! Actually, there are as many versions of paella as there are cooks. It may contain chicken, pork, shellfish, fish, eel, squid, beans, peas, artichokes or peppers. Saffron, the spice that also turns the rice a wonderful golden color is an essential part of the dish.
Sangria: is an alcoholic beverage of Spanish origin. A punch, the sangria traditionally consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients such as orange juice or brandy.
Source: www.barcelona-easy-guide.com - http://spanishfood.about.com - https://en.wikipedia.org