The country
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Surface: 504 750 km2  People: 40 000 000 inhabitants.
Capital: Madrid
Language: Spanish (Castillan), and also Basque, Catalan, Galicien, Valencian et Majorquin in their respective Autonomous Communities.
Politics: constitutional monarchy (constitution of 1978).
Spain is not a united state like France; the Spanish State delegated a part of its capacities to local governments: the autonomous Communities.There are in Spain 17 autonomous Communities distributed in as many areas.

Administrative and political organization:

Climate
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mediterranean very hot and sunny in the south, moderate in the interior and north.

Currency: until December 31, 2001, the Spanish currency was the PESETA. The rate of exchange was 1 euro = 166,386 pesetas.
Spain is member of the European Union and adherentof the agreements of Schengen.
The nationals of the European Union need the valid National identity card or the passport, even out-of-date since less than 5 years.

There exists in Spain many thermal spas, in particular in the province of Castellon. In Spain, the cure at a watering-place lasts 15 days, and the refunding is done via the INSERCO, social welfare which cofinances, with the curist, the cure.

Practical
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Monday is the day of closing of the monuments and museums. Many shops close on saturday afternoon. "Oficinas of tourismo" can be found in all the tourist cities; they diffuse tourist plans and documents, most of then are translated in english.

In France, the Spanish Office of tourism answers all the requests:
SPANISH OFFICE OF TOURISM 43, street Decamps 75784 Paris Cedex 16 Tel.: 01.45.03.82.50 Fax: 01.45.03.82.51.

Links
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