How well do you know Spain?

Culture of Spain

• Spain's culture is influenced by its Western origin, interaction with other European cultures, Catholic religious tradition, and varied national and regional identities.
• Ancient Rome is the bedrock of Spanish culture, with other ancient peoples such as Greeks, Tartessians, Celts, Iberians, Celtiberians, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians also having some influence.
• Spanish culture before and after the arrival of Muslims was based heavily on Roman heritage, and the primary religion practiced was Catholicism.
• Spain has the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, after Italy and China, with a total of 47.
• Spanish literature includes poetry, prose, and novels written in the Spanish language, including works by Spanish and Latin American writers.
• Spanish painters during the Golden Age period included El Greco, Murillo, Velázquez, and Goya, while Picasso, Dalí, and Tàpies were leading artists in the 20th century.
• Spain's architecture includes megalithic Iberian and Celtic architectures, Roman constructions, Mudéjar style, Gothic period, Renaissance, Baroque period, Spanish colonial architecture, and Neoclassical style, among others.
• Spanish cinema has achieved high marks of recognition for its creative and technical excellence, with filmmakers such as Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar gaining international recognition.
• Spain is a multilingual country with Spanish being the official language, while other languages may also be official in autonomous communities, such as Catalan/Valencian, Basque, and Galician.
• About 56% of Spaniards identify as belonging to the Roman Catholic religion, and the Semana Santa and patronal festivals are significant Spanish holidays.
• Football/soccer is the most popular sport in Spain, with notable teams including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid.
• Olive oil is an essential ingredient in Spanish cuisine, and daily meals are often made traditionally by hand with fresh ingredients bought from the local market.
• Tapa, a small snack served with a drink, is a popular custom when going out, and almost every bar serves something edible when a drink is ordered, without charge.Culture, Education, and Nationalism in Spain

Culture:

• Churros and thick hot chocolate are a traditional favorite in Spain, and "churrerías" (stores that serve churros) are common.
• The Spanish cuisine differs from one region to another despite sharing common characteristics.

Education:

• The Spanish educational system follows a highly decentralized model, with most powers over education policies transferred to the autonomous communities.
• Public administrations are responsible for education policies, funding, and expenditure allocation.
• The Ley orgánica para la mejora de la calidad educativa is the overarching educative legislation as of 2020.
• Spain has a low share of students in public centers in both primary (69%) and secondary education (68%) due to the role of the "educación concertada" (privately owned centers funded by public money).
• Bachillerato is usually taken by those aspiring to go to college.

Nationalism:

• Spain has a long history of tension between centralism and nationalism.
• The Basque Country and Catalonia have widespread nationalist sentiment, with many demanding statehood for their respective territories.
• Galicia, Andalusia, Asturias, Navarre, Aragon, Balearic Islands, and Valencia have their own version of nationalism but generally with a smaller percentage of nationalists than in the Basque Country and Catalonia.
• There is some traction in the province of León pushing to separate from Castile and León, possibly together with the provinces of Zamora and Salamanca.