Spain is the country with the most vineyards, is the third largest producer and the leading exporter of wines by volume… And despite the worldwide fame of sherry, cava or rioja, a large part of its oenological richness, with 90 designations of origin, remains almost unknown.
Spain’s wind-power sector, ranked fifth in the world in terms of generation capacity and fourth in terms of wind turbine exports, is one of the strongest and most technologically advanced in the world.
The Alhambra is the second most visited monument in Spain, after the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and one of the most famous in the world. The historic complex, a World Heritage Site since 1984, receives about 3.5 million visitors a year.
Spread over its 17 regions, Spain has 132 natural parks which are home to true natural and scenic treasures, many of which are virtually unknown.
Films and series with worldwide popularity and big budgets like Star Wars and Game of Thrones have showcased Spain’s monuments, landscapes and beaches to the world.
Spain is the world’s number two fruit exporter –especially citrus, strawberries and stone fruit– and the fourth largest vegetable exporter, mainly tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. It is also notable for its chestnut production and delicacies such as the black truffle.
Spaniards shine atop the podium of today’s international sports, including tennis player Rafa Nadal, swimmer Mireia Belmonte, high jumper Ruth Beitia, F1 driver Fernando Alonso, the national women’s basketball team or skater Javier Fernández, among others.
Today, well into the 21st century, the Camino de Santiago, a World Heritage Site, is a cultural, touristic and spiritual phenomenon that is more global now than it was in the Middle Ages, when it was consolidated as one of Christianity’s great pilgrimage routes along with the routes of Rome and Jerusalem.
Quality, safety and design are flagships of the Spanish toy sector, which exports its products to over half of the world: providing the children of Russia, the United States, Mexico and Qatar with dolls, cars and tricycles made in Spain, the world’s fourth largest producer.
From the anonymous prehistoric artists of Altamira to Velázquez’s Meninas at the Prado, Picasso’s Guernica at the Reina Sofía, to avant-garde centres such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao or the MUSAC in León, you can trace Spain’s history through its museums.
