Are you looking for interesting facts about Spain? You’ve come to the right place!
Spain is a diverse country in Southern Europe where I once lived for four years, in a small town called Moraira, and where I now find myself living again, but this time in Valencia.
In a way, Spain has it all: beautiful beaches, good ski slopes, amazing cities, and great food. Maybe that’s why I keep coming back…
Here, I want to share some facts about Spain— some positive, some funny, and a few that might surprise or disturb you. But all of these facts will help paint a picture of this fascinating country!
36 Facts About Spain
1. Many believe the name Spain diverged from the word Ispania, which means the land of rabbits.
2. With just over 505,000 sq. km. (195,000 sq. miles) Spain is the second-largest country in Western Europe, after France.
3. Spain has over 8000 km (4970 miles) of beaches.
Also Read: 3 Regions to Check Out for the Perfect Family Vacation in Spain
4. Spain had one of the fastest-growing populations in Europe in the early 1980s. But in 2000, Spain had the lowest average birth rate of any country in the world, at just 1.19 children per woman.
And still Spain continues to rank among the countries with the lowest birth rate in the world.
It is predicted that around 300,000 immigrants need to enter Spain each year to balance the declining number of young people.
Interesting Facts About Spain’s Festivals
5. La Tomatina, the famous tomato-throwing festival, happens every year on the last Wednesday of August in Buñol, a town near Valencia. Over 150,000 tomatoes are thrown during this massive food fight.
It’s a messy but must-see spectacle!
6. One of the most famous festivals in Spain is the Running of Bulls. It occurs on St. Fermin’s Day in July in the northern town of Pamplona. Over 1 million people attend the festival.
Unfortunately, this isn’t really a fun fact about Spain. What many people don’t know about the Running of the Bulls is that the bulls are tortured and killed. You can find more information here.
7. Bullfighting has been a popular sport in Spain for thousands of years. Called corridas, bullfights are considered either a contest of art and skill or a cruel sport.
Although slowly more places ban bullfights, in many other towns and cities bullfighting still takes place. This includes my current home of Valencia, and I have had to walk past the bullring several times while a bullfight was happening.
If you ask me, it’s one of the most disturbing facts about Spain!
Fun Facts About Spain’s Culture & Language
8. Spain has the highest number of bars out of all the countries in the EU. Now that’s what I call a fun fact about Spain!
9. The most popular type of music in Spain is Flamenco.
Flamenco is thought to have been developed by the Moors who brought it to Spain from North Africa in the early A.D. 700s. It has been influenced by Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures.
10. There is no tooth fairy in Spain but rather a tooth mouse called Ratoncito Perez.
11. Spaniards are famous for their contributions to art, with famous Spanish artists including Dali, Picasso, Gaudi, El Greco, and Goya.
12. The majority of the Spanish are roman catholic.
However, the role that religion plays in Spaniards’ daily life has diminished significantly in the last decade.
13. Spanish, or Castilian, is the official language. Various regional languages have co-official or recognized status in specific territories and a number of unofficial languages and dialects are spoken in certain localities.
14. More than 400 million people worldwide speak Spanish as a native language. This makes it one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet.
15. Spanish is an official language in 20 countries (and spoken in many other countries).
16. There are more native Spanish speakers than native English speakers in the world.
17. The Moors occupied Spain for 800 years; consequently, over 4,000 Arabic words and Arabic-derived phrases have been absorbed into the Spanish language.
Some Weird, Crazy & Cool Facts About Spain
18. In 2023, Spain was the second most visited country in the world, with 85 million tourists.
A recent analysis done by Google and Deloitte, projects that Spain will soon overtake France to become the world’s most visited country.
19. A useful fact about Spain: tipping is not common, especially for cheap dinners.
20. Smoking is still very popular in Spain. One in every five people in Spain smoke.
21. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005. This made the third country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, following the Netherlands and Belgium.
22. Spain used to have the lowest age of consent for sexual activity in Europe at 13 years old. They finally raised it from 13 to 16 in 2013.
23. Spain used to have a very low divorce rate and few children were born outside of marriage. But the rise in divorces in Spain has been extraordinarily high. Spain currently has the second highest divorce rate in Europe.
24. At least 114,000 women work in prostitution in Spain. And a shocking fact: a recent study showed that the majority of these women are victims of trafficking.
If you drive through Spain you will see some of these women standing next to main roads, looking for clients. It, to me, was a shocking experience when I first started exploring Spain!
25. There are no laws against public nudity in Spain.
26. One of the weird facts about Spain (and one that I keep forgetting about in summer): Driving in flip-flops is illegal.
In fact, driving in any type of sandal that doesn’t have a strap around the back of the ankle is illegal. And driving barefoot is illegal as well.
27. Spain produces more than 60% of Europe’s bananas and plantains.
28. Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world.
29. Portugal and Spain provide most of the world’s cork.
30. Spain is home to a type of tailless monkey, the macaque, which is the only type of wild monkey that lives in Europe.
31. Soccer is the most important sport in Spain. It’s also pretty much like a religion.
32. Real Madrid is the most popular club in the world with over 450 million supporters.
Facts About Spain’s History & Politics
33. In 1478, the Pope gave the Spanish King, Ferdinand V, the power to initiate the Spanish Inquisition, during which people were tortured to prove they were true Christians.
Thousands of converts fled Spain as the Inquisition spread fear across Europe. During the first 50 years of the Inquisition, 5,000 people were executed. The Inquisition was finally abolished in 1834.
34. Spain stayed neutral during both World War I and World War II.
35. The country experienced a civil war (1936-1939) that killed over 500,000 people. The victorious General Francisco Franco ruled as a brutal dictator until his death in 1975. After his death, Spain began to transition into a modern, industrial, and democratic European nation.
36. Spain is one of the most decentralized democracies in Europe. Each of its 17 regions manages its own schools, hospitals, and other public services.
I hope you enjoyed this wide range of interesting, disturbing, and fun facts about Spain!
If You Want to Know More About Spain, Also Read:
- Things to Know About Spain Before You Visit
- The Best Time to Visit Spain
- 5 Crazy Spanish Festivals You Have to Check Out
- Christmas in Spain – the Traditions, the Food & Everything Else You Need to Know
- What to See & Do in Madrid – Tips From a Tour Guide
- The Best Family Vacations in Spain: Costa Brava, Costa Dorada & Costa Verde
Or check out this overview of all articles about Spain.
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Great list and so many interesting facts! I’m in the country next door (Portugal), and have been going for road trips in Spain for a few years now!