Spain
Kingdom of Spain
Espana

Flag of Spain
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of “Plus Ultra” (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century the red and yellow colors are related to those of the oldest Spanish kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon, and Navarre note: the red and yellow colors are related to those of the oldest Spanish kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon, and Navarre
Flag Spain

Creative Industries Spain at Europa Regina


Population:
47,222,613 (2023 est.)
47,260,584 (2021)
50,015,792 (2020)
48,958,159 (2017)
Internet country code: .es
Capital: Madrid

Government:
Official website: lamoncloa.gov.es
Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism: minetur.gob.es
Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness: comercio.mineco.gob.es

Kingdom of Spain / Reino de España

Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World War I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently the government has had to focus on measures to reverse a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008. Austerity measures implemented to reduce a large budget deficit and reassure foreign investors have led to one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.


Imagine a world without prostitution

By Julie Bindel

What do we do to solve the problems inherent to prostitution? The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, has some ideas. He recently spoke out about the abuse and enslavement that women caught up in prostitution endure, and has pledged to abolish Spain’s thriving sex trade during his speech at the end of his Socialist Party’s three-day congress.

Sanchez is seriously considering introducing a version of the “Nordic Model”: legislation that would deter the punters by the threat of criminalisation, and at the same time, decriminalise and support the women in prostitution by offering exiting programmes.
> thecritic.co.uk/imagine-a-world-without-prostitution