1Introduction

Spain is one of the most important economies in the world, ranking 16^th in size and has an immense capacity to attract foreign investment (currently ranked 8^th in terms of foreign direct investment)¹. Spain’s appeal for investment lies not only in its domestic market, but also in the possibility of operating with third markets from Spain. This is because Spain has a privileged geo-strategic position within the European Union giving access to more than 2,400 million potential clients in the EMEA Region (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Its strong economic, historic and cultural ties also make Spain the perfect business gateway to Latin America.

Furthermore, Spain is a modern knowledge-based economy with services accounting for over 76%² of economic activity. The country has become a center of innovation supported by a young, highly-qualified work force and competitive costs in the context of Western Europe.

This Chapter gives a brief description of Spain’s vital statistics: its population, its political and territorial structure and its economy.