Changes

====Educational system====  

====Educational system====  

About 70% of Spain's student population attends public schools or universities. The remainder attend private schools or universities, the great majority of which are operated by the Catholic Church. Compulsory education begins with primary school or general basic education for ages 6-16. It is free in public schools and in many private schools, most of which receive government subsidies. Following graduation, students attend either a secondary school offering a general high school diploma or a school of professional education (corresponding to grades 9-12 in the United States) offering a vocational training program. The Spanish university system offers degree and post-graduate programs in all fields--law, sciences, humanities, and medicine--and the superior technical schools offer programs in engineering and architecture.

About 70% of Spain's student population attends public schools or universities. The remainder attend private schools or universities, the great majority of which are operated by the Catholic Church. Compulsory education begins with primary school or general basic education for ages 6–16. It is free in public schools and in many private schools, most of which receive government subsidies. Following graduation, students attend either a secondary school offering a general high school diploma or a school of professional education (corresponding to grades 9-12 in the United States) offering a vocational training program. The Spanish university system offers degree and post-graduate programs in all fields—law, sciences, humanities, and medicine—and the superior technical schools offer programs in engineering and architecture.

==Government and political landscape==

==Government and political landscape==

===Principal government officials===  

===Principal government officials===  

[[File:Barack Obama and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.jpg|thumb|[[Barack Obama]] and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.]]

[[File:Barack Obama and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.jpg|thumb|[[Barack Obama]] and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.]]

*Chief of State, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces--King Felipe VI

*Chief of State, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces—King Felipe VI

*President of the Government (Prime Minister)-- [[Mariano Rajoy Brey]]  

*President of the Government (Prime Minister)-- [[Mariano Rajoy Brey]]  

*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Miguel Angel Moratinos  

*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Miguel Angel Moratinos  

*Ambassador to the United States--Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza

*Ambassador to the United States—Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza

===Foreign relations===

===Foreign relations===

==Economy==

==Economy==

[[File:El Escorial Spain.jpg|thumb|left|320px|El Escorial, an important touristic site.]]

[[File:El Escorial Spain.jpg|thumb|left|320px|El Escorial, an important touristic site.]]

Spain's accession to the European Community -- now European Union (EU) -- in January 1986 required the country to open its [[economy]] to [[trade]] and [[investment]], modernize its industrial base, improve [[infrastructure]], and revise economic legislation to conform to EU guidelines. In doing so, Spain increased [[gross domestic product]] ([[GDP]]) growth, reduced the national [[debt to GDP ratio]], reduced [[unemployment]] from 23% in 1986 to 8.47% in first quarter 2007, and reduced [[inflation]] to under 3%. The fundamental challenges remaining for Spain include decreasing unemployment further, reforming labor laws lowering inflation, and raising per capita GDP.  

Spain's accession to the European Community—now European Union (EU) -- in January 1986 required the country to open its [[economy]] to [[trade]] and [[investment]], modernize its industrial base, improve [[infrastructure]], and revise economic legislation to conform to EU guidelines. In doing so, Spain increased [[gross domestic product]] ([[GDP]]) growth, reduced the national [[debt to GDP ratio]], reduced [[unemployment]] from 23% in 1986 to 8.47% in first quarter 2007, and reduced [[inflation]] to under 3%. The fundamental challenges remaining for Spain include decreasing unemployment further, reforming labor laws lowering inflation, and raising per capita GDP.  

Following peak growth years in the late 1980s, the Spanish economy entered into recession in mid-1992. The economy recovered during the first Aznar administration (1996-2000), driven by a return of consumer confidence and increased private consumption, although growth has slowed in recent years. Unemployment remains a problem at 8.47% (2007, first quarter), but this still represents a significant improvement from previous levels. Devaluations of the peseta during the 1990s made Spanish exports more competitive, but the strength of the euro since its adoption has raised recent concerns that Spanish exports are being priced out of the range of foreign buyers.

Following peak growth years in the late 1980s, the Spanish economy entered into recession in mid-1992. The economy recovered during the first Aznar administration (1996-2000), driven by a return of consumer confidence and increased private consumption, although growth has slowed in recent years. Unemployment remains a problem at 8.47% (2007, first quarter), but this still represents a significant improvement from previous levels. Devaluations of the peseta during the 1990s made Spanish exports more competitive, but the strength of the euro since its adoption has raised recent concerns that Spanish exports are being priced out of the range of foreign buyers.