Spain at a Glance

• Population: 44,1 million


• Capital city: Madrid, approx. 6.0 million inhabitants


• Language: Spanish (official language)


• Religions: approx. 90 % Catholics


• Form of government: Hereditary monarchy

Economy

Germany is Spain's second-largest trading partner after France. It is also a leading direct investor in Spanish industry. Over 1,100 German companies have subsidiaries or holdings in Spain, many with their own production sites. German tourism continues to play an important part in the two countries' economic relations.

Culture and Science

Germany and Spain enjoy vigorous and intense cultural relations and Germans have developed much more interest in the Spanish language and culture (literature, films) in recent years. Germany has two Goethe Institutes in Madrid and Barcelona with branches in Granada and San Sebastián. Through cultural events, language courses and their library and information work, they contribute to conveying a multifaceted impression of modern Germany. They are supported in this by a foundation established by the German business community in 2001 (Fundación Goethe España). The nine German schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville, Málaga, San Sebastián, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas, as well as the two German vocational schools in Madrid and Barcelona, with a total of roughly 6,000 students, make their own contribution to intercultural relations with support from teachers seconded from Germany. The German Archaeological Institute has a department in Spain. The German Academic Exchange Service runs an information centre (in Barcelona) and has assigned nine academic teachers to Spanish universities.

Links

www.spanischebotschaft.de (Official representation of Spain in Germany)
www.madrid.diplo.de (German Embassy in Spain)
www.ccape.es (German-Spanish Chamber of Commerce)
www.goethe.de/barcelona (Goethe-Institute Barcelona)