Spain

35.9% —or about 17,915,000 hectares—of Spain is forested. Of this, 4.5% —or roughly 812,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Spain gained an average of 295,700 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 2.19%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 18.0% to 1.80% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Spain gained 32.9% of its forest cover, or around 4,436,000 hectares. Spain lost 191,000 hectares—0—of its primary forest cover during that time. Deforestation rates of primary cover have increased 30.8% since the close of the 1990s. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Spain gained 7.8% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Spain has some 746 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 4.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 7.0% are threatened. Spain is home to at least 5050 species of vascular plants, of which 18.6% are endemic. 8.0% of Spain is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Spain: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 49,944,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 17,915,000 Percent Forest Cover 35.87% Primary Forest Cover (ha) 812,000 Primary Forest, % total forest 4.53% Primary Forest, % total land 1.63% Other wooded land (ha) 10,299,000 Spain : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 0% Subtropical (% forest area) 80% Temperate (% forest area) 20% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% Spain: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) 812,000 4.5% Modified natural (ha | %) 11,582,000 64.6% Semi-natural (ha | %) 4,050,000 22.6% Production plantation (ha | %) 1,471,000 8.2% Production plantation (ha | %) - 0.0% Spain: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 13,479,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 16,436,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 17,915,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 295,700 2.19% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 295,800 1.80% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 4,436,000 32.91% Change in rate (%) -17.96% PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) 621,000 Primary 2000 (ha) 748,000 Primary 2005 (ha) 812,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 12,700 2.05% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 12,800 1.71% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 191,000 30.76% Change in rate (%) -16.32% OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 12,447,000 Other 2000 (ha) 11,016,000 Other 2005 (ha) 10,299,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) (143,100) -1.15% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) (143,400) -1.30% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) (2,148,000) -17.26% Change in rate (%) 13.23% PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) 1,126,000 Other 2000 (ha) 1,356,000 Other 2005 (ha) 1,471,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 23,000 2.04% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 23,000 1.70% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 345,000 30.64% Change in rate (%) -16.96% TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 24,800,000 Other 2000 (ha) 26,096,000 Other 2005 (ha) 26,743,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 129,600 0.52% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 129,400 0.50% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 1,943,000 7.83% Change in rate (%) -5.11% Spain: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) 812,000 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 0 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 812,000 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 1.63% Spain: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 30.0% Private (%) 67.9% Other (%) 2.1% Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) 22.3% Private (%) 74.9% Other (%) 2.8% Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) 9.4% Protection (%) 13.1% Conservation (%) 37.3% Social Services (%) 0.1% Multiple Services (%) 40.2% None of Unknown (%) 0.0% Spain: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) 0.27% Insects (ha) 1.32% Diseases (ha) 1.15% Other (ha) 10.80% Spain: Protected areas 27 Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 49 World Heritage sites, 2004 38 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 8.0% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 0.32% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 7.70% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 0.00% Spain: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 32 endemic species 4 threatened species 4 Birds total species 515 endemic species 10 threatened species 20 Mammals total species 132 endemic species 6 threatened species 20 Reptiles total species 67 endemic species 15 threatened species 8 Wildlife diversity total species 746 endemic species 35 threatened species 52 Spain: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 40.10% Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 81.60% Number of Native tree species Native tree species 123 Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 2 Endangered 1 Vulnerable 6 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 5050 Number endemic 941 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 14 Spain: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) 661 Below-ground biomass (M t) 210 Dead wood (M t) - Total (M t) - Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) 297 Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) 95 Carbon in dead wood (M t) - Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) - Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 19,800 2000-2005 19,600 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 0.41 2000-2005 0.3 Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 15,741 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) 1,948 Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 17,689 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) 2 Plant products 2005 Food (t) 12,018 Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) 0 Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) 959 Other plant products (t) 70,050 Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) 3,040 Wild honey and bee-wax (t) 39,114 Bush meat (t) 21,723 Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) $533,200,000 Wood fuel (US$) $33,195,000 Non-wood forest products (US$) $307,952,000 Total value (US$) $874,347,000 Total value ($USD/ha) $49 Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed 29,000 Spain : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 280 Imports 51 Exports 90 Consumption 241 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 13,850 Imports 3,251 Exports 183 Consumption 16,918 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 3,524 Imports 3,129 Exports 134 Consumption 6,519 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 5,030 Imports 1,300 Exports 1,218 Consumption 5,112 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 1,719 Imports 771 Exports 792 Consumption 1,698 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 5,365 Imports 3,390 Exports 1,805 Consumption 6,950 Spain: Environment Environment - current issues pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Natural hazards periodic droughts Spain: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 26.07% permanent crops: 9.87% other: 64.06% (2001) Natural resources coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land Spain: Economy Economy - overview: The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging five percent annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 10.1%. Growth of 2.5% in 2003, 2.6% in 2004, and 3.3% in 2005 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has initiated economic and social reforms that are generally popular among the masses of people but that are anathema to religious and other conservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, and absorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years. GDP - per capita $25,100 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 3.3% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 3.4%, industry: 28.7%, services: 67.9% (2005 est.) Industries textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment Population below poverty line (%) NA Debt - external $1.249 trillion (30 June 2005 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 5.3%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 30.1%, services 64.6% (2004 est.) Spain: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 40,341,462 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 0.15% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 80.8 Percent rural (2003) 23.5% Median age (years) total: 39.51 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 1.28 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types Largest Cities in Spain Cities and urban areas in Spain with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population Madrid Spain 2905100 5078100 Barcelona Spain 1497700 3871400 Valencia Spain 741900 1406600 Sevilla Spain 704500 1135600 Zaragoza Spain 607000 607000 Malaga Spain 539300 748200 Murcia Spain 366300 366300 Las Palmas Spain 366000 366000 Bilbao Spain 351100 879300 Palma Spain 350700 350700 Valladolid Spain 319400 319400 Cordoba Spain 316100 316100 Vigo Spain 287800 287800 Alacant Spain 283600 283600 Gijon Spain 268300 268300 Granada Spain 244900 244900 A Coruna Spain 241000 241000 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain 220700 220700 Vitoria Spain 218400 218400 Oviedo Spain 200700 200700 Elx Spain 199800 199800 Iruna Spain 191900 191900 Jerez Spain 186000 186000 Santander Spain 184800 184800 Cartagena Spain 184700 184700 Donostia Spain 181900 181900 Almeria Spain 171000 171000 Burgos Spain 164400 164400 Salamanca Spain 158600 158600 Albacete Spain 153200 153200 Castello Spain 146700 146700 Huelva Spain 142200 142200 Cadiz Spain 138900 138900 Badajoz Spain 137000 137000 Leon Spain 136500 136500 Logrono Spain 130500 130500 San Cristobal de la Laguna Spain 130200 130200 Tarragona Spain 116200 116200 Jaen Spain 113200 113200 Lleida Spain 112600 112600 Marbella Spain 109500 109500 Ourense Spain 109200 109200 Algeciras Spain 106100 106100  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com