%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 98%
female: 94% (1986 est.)

@Spain:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local short form: Espana

Data code: SP

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

National capital: Madrid

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades
autonomas, singular-comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias,
Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna,
Communidad Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja,
Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of
Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and
Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown

Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

National holiday: National Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not
accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the king
head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez
(since 5 May 1996); First Vice President Francisco ALVAREZ CASCOS
Fernandez (since 5 May 1996) and Second Vice President (and Minister
of Economy and Finance) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
consultative organ of the government
elections: the king is a hereditary monarch; president proposed by the
king and elected by the National Assembly following legislative
elections; election last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by NA
March 2000)
election results: Jose Maria AZNAR elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly
or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (256 seats;
208 members are directly elected by popular vote and the other 48 were
appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and
the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
repres