Spain
- Region
- Europe
- Area
- 505,992 km²
- Capital
- Madrid
- ISO
- ES
What the flag means
Red and yellow come from the colors chosen in 1785 by King Charles III for a naval flag that would be easy to spot at sea. The two pillars in the coat of arms stand for the "Pillars of Hercules" at the Strait of Gibraltar.
Fun facts
- FlagThe flag of Spain has horizontal red, yellow, and red stripes, and the yellow band in the middle is 2 times as wide as each red one.
- GeographyThe Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco is only about 14 km wide at its narrowest point.
- GeographySpain’s highest mountain, Teide, is not on the mainland but on Tenerife in the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
- CultureEvery August, the town of Buñol in Spain holds “La Tomatina,” a festival where people throw tomatoes at each other.
