Not only is Spain the eighth most important economy in the world; it is also the eighth biggest investor and the ninth recipient of FDI. The continued dynamism of its economy is shown by its growth in recent years: ahead of the European average (3.9% in 2006 compared with 2.9% in the EU-25 and 2.8% in the euro-zone).

In addition, Spain offers a privileged geo-strategic position within the European Union giving access to over 1,200 million potential clients in the EMEA Region (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Its strong economic, historic and cultural ties also make Spain the perfect gateway to Latin America.

Furthermore, Spain is a modern knowledge-based economy with services accounting for 66 percent of economic activity. The country has become a center of innovation supported by a young, highly-qualified work force and competitive costs.

This chapter gives a brief description of Spain's vital statistics - the latest facts and figures which explain the demographics, the political framework and the economic structure of the country.