A glimpse into Spain

Spain has a long and rich history, one that’s far too detailed for me cover in depth here. But I can give you a basic outline of the country so you understand a little bit more about our mission field in northern Catalonia.

Spain shares borders with Portugal and France and is only miles from Africa

Spain received its name (“Hispania) from the Romans, who ruled the country as part of their Roman Empire starting around 200 B.C. German tribes wrenched control away from the Romans during the Middle Ages, but Spain was by then deeply rooted in Roman traditions and culture, from its language (Spanish is almost totally derived from Latin) to its religion (Roman Catholicism). At the same time, Muslim Moors from North Africa took control of southern Spain in 711 and ruled for centuries, introducing elements of their own culture into the ever-evolving country. It wasn’t until 1492 that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella reconquered Spanish lands and united the kingdom under one steady, solid rule.

King Charles II chose Spain's flag design in 1785

Spain used to be the greatest economic power in the world in the 1500s, with colonies flourishing in South America thanks to Columbus’ recent explorations. But because of inner turmoil and failed war efforts, the country lost its worldwide influence during the next three hundred years. Things reached a new low after the Spanish Civil War, which erupted in the 1930s and pit Nationalists (those in favor of a strong national government and traditional monarchy) against Republicans (who wanted a more liberal democratic republic). During the three-year war, 500,000 people were killed and another half million Spaniards fled the country. General Francisco Franco, leader of the Nationalists, eventually emerged victorious and became dictator of Spain until his death in 1975.

Francisco Franco ruled from 1936-1975

When Franco’s successor, Juan Carlos de Borbon, came to power, he transitioned the country into a democratic republic. Spain now has a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarch. Spain was classified as a first-world country in the 1980s when it joined the European Union, though it still faces many problems, leading Europe in cases of AIDS, drug problems and abortions. Another problem is unemployment: 26.2% of Spaniards can’t find jobs, and it’s even worse for young people, who have a 56% unemployment rate.

Princess Letizia, Heir Apparent Felipe, Queen Sofia, and King Juan Carlos II

Here are a few other quick facts about Spain…

·         Spain is the 2^nd largest country in Western Europe, with nearly 48,000,000 people

·         There are 17 regions (like U.S. states) and 50 provinces

·         The official language of Spain is Spanish, but there are three other major languages spoken in the country: Catalán, Basque and Gallego.

·         Spain’s climate varies greatly throughout the country, with mountainous areas, beaches, deserts and plains.

·         Spain’s greatest source of income is tourism, with more than 70 million tourists visiting the country ever year.

·         Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil and Europe’s largest producer of lemons, oranges and strawberries.

·         Spain’s fertility rate is only 1.47, but the country’s population is steadily increasing thanks to a great influx of immigrants, especially from Africa and the Middle East

So that’s the country where I’m serving this fall. I’ve always been interested in Spain, with its rich history and distinctive customs such as bull fighting and flamenco dances. But Spain isn’t one giant fiesta full of matadors and sangria; it has many distinct people groups with their own histories and cultures. And it has many problems, too. I think tourists usually only see the glossy, exciting parts of Spain, and I’ll be the first to say they’re very exciting! But the people are hurting in more ways than we can see, which is why the mission here is so important. But I’ll have more on that in the next post…