Spain – a large country with a huge variety of cities, villages, nature, mountains and beaches. Spain – land of sun, sea, sangria and tapas.

Interesting facts about Spain

1. Spain — third most visited country in the world. Only France and the USA are ahead.
2. Spain is the third country in the world (after Italy and China) with the most World Heritage Sites. There are 47 of them, of which the most visited are the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the Alhambra in Granada.
3. The most common street name in Spain — Calle Mayor, and the most common name for the square is — Plaza Mayor
4. Cadiz — the oldest city in Europe. It is believed that it was founded 80 years after the Trojan War.
5. Spain owes its name to the mass population of rabbits. The Phoenicians called it Spain, which means "land of the Jerome". (shfanim), rodents that are not rabbits, but resemble them.
6. Flamenco — one of the international symbols of Spain, and its origin is somewhat obscure. The most common theory is that it was created in Andalusia by a cultural mix of Gypsies, Arabs, Jews and, of course, Andalusians.
7. Currently, according to the National Statistical Institute (INE), the most common surname is Garcia (1,462,923 people). The second most common surname – Rodriguez (927,056 people). And the third place belongs to Gonzalez (925,695 people).
8. Spain ranks first in the world in terms of area and production of olive oil. Its production in 2019 was 47.3%.
9. City in Spain with the shortest name — Ea (Biscay, Basque Country).
10. Spain – country with the second largest number of vineyards in the world.
11. The consequence of colonization was the spread of the language. Today Spanish is spoken by about 400 million people in 20 different countries.
12. Spanish – is not the only language spoken in Spain. Individual communities also use other official languages such as Catalan, Valencian, Galician, Aranese and Basque.
13. In Spain, there is one bar for every 170 inhabitants.
14. Tapas – national pride. There are several theories for the name, but one of the most convincing is that the original dish consisted of slices of bread or slices of sausage, which were used to cover drinks to protect them from flies and insects.
15. Dollar sign ($) — Spanish invention, the evolution of the abbreviation Ps (peso — the currency that was in force before the introduction of the euro).
16. Spain – country with the highest rate of organ donation in the world. Has been a leader in this field for over 20 years.
17. Original Valencia — this is the place where they cook paella and fallas. But did you know that there are more than 40 Valencias scattered around the world? This, of course, was associated with the colonial period, when it was very common to call "new" cities in honor of the origin of explorers.
18. The most expensive restaurant in the world is in Ibiza, it's called Sublimotion, and dinner costs €1700 per person.
19. Mr. Enric Bernat founded the Spanish company Chupa Chups in 1958, specializing in the production of lollipops. Brand logo — this is the design of the famous Catalan artist Salvador Dali.
20. The French omelet comes from Spain. During the War of Independence and the siege of Cadiz, when food was scarce, the Spanish began making omelets without potatoes. It was called "la tortilla de cuando los franceses" (French omelet).
21. If, while driving on Spanish roads, you suddenly see the silhouette of a huge bull, do not panic and keep moving. This is Osborne Bull – famous brandy from Sherry. The 14-meter fighting bull started as an advertisement and has now become a real cultural symbol of Spain. More than 90 bulls are involved in the Spanish road network.
22. Contrary to stereotypes, 58.6% of Spaniards say they NEVER have a siesta.
23. The drink most often consumed by the Spaniards, — it's not sangria or orugio, it's beer.
24. In the Berlin Park in Madrid, there is an original fragment of the Berlin Wall.
25. 74% of Spaniards have sex (at least) once a week.
26. Saffron has been cultivated in La Mancha for over 1,000 years.
27. The length of the Spanish coast (7,905 km) is almost equivalent to a round trip on the Madrid-Moscow route (4,096.7 km).
28. Spain has a time zone that is incompatible with it. Dictator Francisco Franco changed the time in March 1940 with a gesture towards Hitler. This was supposed to be a temporary solution, but it never reverted to Greenwich Mean Time, which corresponds to Spain due to its geography. Time for Portugal or Canary Islands – this is the time that must be valid for the whole country.
29. December 7, 1969, Galician Angela Ruiz Robles invented the Encyclopaedia Mecnica, which is considered the first prototype of popular e-books.
30. The Valencia Water Tribunal is the oldest legal institution in Europe. Its origin goes back to Roman times.
31. Spaniards drink 11.2 liters of pure alcohol per person per year, nearly double the world average of 6.2.
32. The longest Spanish word of 23 letters — "Electroencephalografista".
33. Asteroid number 3851 in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter was named Alhambra after the red fortress of Granada.
34. In 2019, about 22,000 people threw 150,000 kilograms of tomatoes at themselves in Tomatina de Bunol (Valencia).
35. The country had three kings under the age of 10: Carlos II, Isabella II and Alfonso XIII.
36. Catalan Narcis Monturiol built the first steam powered submarine in 1864. A few years later, in 1888, Isaac Peral invented the first torpedo submarine.
37. The perfect temperature to enjoy a serving of Iberico ham – from 20C to 24C.
38. Tempranillo — the most widely cultivated vine in Spain.
39. The famous Wine Battle takes place in Aro: the goal — stain your neighbor with wine. In 2011, it was recognized as a Festival of National Tourism Importance.
40. In Spain, the tooth fairy collects children's teeth that fall out. They put them under the pillow, and the next day they receive a gift: a coin or sweets.
41. For the Spaniards, proper nutrition is important: a full belly, a happy heart.
42. It is not customary to ask for separate bills in bars or restaurants.
43. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom exchange 13 gold coins. This tradition symbolizes the division of the property of the bride and groom.
44. Since 2004, the small town of Villar de Corneja in Ávila has been celebrating the New Year twelve hours earlier than the rest of the country, i.e. at 12:00 so that older guests do not have to stay overnight.
45. Spain — the first country in the world to accept homosexuality, and only 6% of the population consider it "morally unacceptable".
46. Among the 10 paintings that received the highest rates, 3 are signed with the name of Pablo Picasso: "Women of Algiers", "Sleep and Nude", "Green Leaves" and "Bust".
47. Why do Spaniards eat 12 grapes on New Year's Eve? The tradition seems to have started in 1909 when it was customary to eat one grape at a time to "bring good luck" in every month of the year.