Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades
autonomas, singular—comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon,
Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon,
Cataluna, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid,
Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco, Valenciana
Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)
Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 12 October
Executive branch: monarch, president of the government (prime minister), deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Council of State
Legislative branch: bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly (Las Cortes Generales) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)
Leaders:
Chief of State—King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez (since 2 December 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso GUERRA Gonzalez (since 2 December 1982)