[1] (202) 833-5670
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lawrence G.
ROSSIN
embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address: APO AE 09642
telephone: [34] (1) 587-2200
FAX: [34] (1) 587-2303
consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double
width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of
the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by
the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and
Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

@Spain:Economy

Economy-overview: Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that
on a per capita basis is three-fourths that of the four leading West
European economies. Its center-right government has staked much on
gaining admission to the first group of countries to implement the
European single currency and, based on economic indicators, Madrid
appears poised to be in EMU from the outset. The deficit-to-GDP ratio
is 2.3%, the debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to be around 68%, and
inflation is approximately 2%. Moreover, the AZNAR administration has
continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation
of the economy, and has introduced some tax reforms to that end.
Unemployment, nonetheless, remains the highest in the EU at 21%. The
government, for political reasons, has made only limited progress in
changing labor laws or reforming pension schemes, which are key to the
sustainability of both Spain's internal economic advances and its
competitiveness in a single currency area.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$642.4 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$16,400 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 33.6%
services: 62.8% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.1% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
total: 16.2 million
by occupation: services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction
28%, agriculture 8% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $113 billion
expenditures: $139 billion, including capital expenditures of $15
billion (1995)

Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and
beverag