西班牙英文介绍

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2024年5月18日发(作者：)

The Spanish call their country

España

. The name comes from the ancient

word

Span

, which means hidden or remote land. It’s a fitting name, since

Spain stands somewhat apart from the rest of Europe.

Facts About Spain

Official name Kingdom of Spain

Capital Madrid

Official language Castilian Spanish

Population 40,500,000 people

Rank among countries in population 30th

Major cities Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville

195,000 square miles

Area

506,000 square kilometers

Rank among countries in area 50th

Pico de Teide

Highest point

12,188 feet/3,715 meters

Currency Euro

THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Spain is on a peninsula, a piece of land that juts into water. It’s

called the Iberian Peninsula, and it lies between the Atlantic Ocean and

Mediterranean Sea. Spain covers most of the peninsula, apart from a small

area occupied by the country of Portugal to the west.

The steep Pyrenees Mountains cross the neck of the peninsula. For

centuries, the Pyrenees isolated Spain from its European neighbors to the

north.

In the south, Spain almost touches northern Africa. Only a narrow strip

of water called the Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from the African

continent. For this reason, African influences are an important part of

Spain’s history.

SPANISH ISLANDS

Spain has numerous islands, too. They include the Balearic Islands in the

Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the

coast of Africa.

A HIGH, ROCKY PLATEAU

A huge, rocky plateau called the Meseta Central rises in central Spain.

It’s a high, mostly treeless region that covers more than half the country.

The best farmland lies along a narrow coastal plain in the north. Even

here, rocky ridges come right to the ocean. They cut the plain into short

strips.

SUNNY AND DRY

Spain has sunny weather and a dry climate. Spanish farmers herd animals

such as sheep and cattle. They grow crops such as olives, grapes, and

almonds. Spain is the world’s biggest producer of olives. They are picked

for eating and used to make olive oil. Spain also grows plenty of cork

oak trees. Cork is cut from the bark of this tree.

The sunny weather, sandy Mediterranean beaches, and scenic islands make

Spain a playground for visitors. In fact, Spain is one of the world’s

most popular tourist destinations.

MADRID AND BARCELONA

Spain’s capital and largest city is Madrid. It stands near the very

heart of the Iberian Peninsula. Madrid is a modern city that’s home to

about 3 million people. It’s also filled with famous old landmarks, such

as the Plaza Mayor, a huge public square lined with impressive buildings.

Barcelona, on the northeast coast, is Spain’s second largest city.

Barcelona is Spain’s chief port and main industrial center. The city’s

most famous landmark is the Church of the Holy Family. The ornate spires

of the cathedral rise more than 328 feet (100 meters).

BULLFIGHTING

Perhaps no sport is more Spanish than bullfighting. The Spanish consider

it an art form. Bullfighters, called matadors, seek to show bravery and

dignity in the bullfighting ring. The danger and excitement of the sport

inspired American author Ernest Hemingway to write about bullfighting in

two books,

The Sun Also Rises

and

Death in the Afternoon

.

Every summer, Spaniards celebrate the beginning of bullfighting season

with a week of festivities. In the city of Pamplona, celebrations include

the running of the bulls. Each morning, bulls are set loose in the city

streets. Those who dare get in front of the bulls and try to race ahead

of them. Sometimes, people are wounded or even killed by the bulls.

THE MUSLIM PAST

In

AD

711, Muslim invaders from Africa captured Spain. The Muslims had

conquered their way across North Africa before invading Spain. Spain

remained a Muslim-ruled land for hundreds of years.

The Muslim rulers built dazzling cities such as Granada and Córdoba.

Muslim palaces such as Alhambra in Granada still amaze visitors. Spain

became a center of learning under Muslim rule. Philosophers, scientists,

and artists produced important works.

CHRISTIANITY TRIUMPHS

Christian kingdoms in northern Spain fought the Muslims fiercely. Slowly,

Christian forces recaptured Spain. In the late 1400s, two Roman Catholic

monarchs got married—Ferdinand of Aragón and Isabella of Castile. In 1492,

Ferdinand and Isabella drove the last Muslim rulers from Spain.

Afterward, Spain became a Catholic nation. In fact, the Spanish

government set up a court called the Spanish Inquisition. This court

caught and punished people who refused to convert to Catholicism.

A WORLD EMPIRE

Ferdinand and Isabella made Spain a great power. In 1492, Isabella

sponsored a voyage led by a sailor named Christopher Columbus. Columbus

was seeking a westward route to Asia. Instead of finding Asia, Columbus

found the Americas. It proved to be a turning point in Spanish history.

Spain got to the Americas ahead of most other European countries. It

quickly built an empire in parts of North and South America. Spanish ships

carted huge amounts of silver and gold back to Europe. Spain became

Europe’s richest country. It ruled a world empire.

SPAIN’S GOLDEN AGE

Spain’s great wealth led to a Golden Age in Spain. In the 1500s and 1600s,

Spanish writers and artists reached great heights of achievement. Miguel

de Cervantes Saavedra wrote

Don Quixote,

a masterpiece of European

literature. Artists such as El Greco produced brilliant paintings.

LOSS OF EMPIRE

Spain used most of its wealth to build military power, including a great

navy called the Spanish Armada. When the gold and silver ran out, it had

little to fall back on. Spain grew poor and weak. Its colonies broke away.

In 1898, Spain lost a war with the United States. That forced Spain to

give up Cuba, Guam, and Puerto Rico, its last holdings in the Americas.

CIVIL WAR

In 1936, a terrible civil war broke out in Spain. It ended with a general

named Francisco Franco taking over. This tough dictator executed

thousands of people and put thousands more in prison. Franco died in 1975.

SPAIN TODAY

After Franco’s death, Spain appointed a king. They chose Juan Carlos I,

who was descended from Spain’s last king. But Spain also adopted a new

constitution that made the king a symbol rather than the ruler. It gave

real power to an elected prime minister. Today, Spain is a vibrant

democracy.

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