Spain

Bilateral relationship

Spain’s membership of the European Union added the most significant dimension to New Zealand's interest in Spain. This was reflected in the opening of the New Zealand Embassy in Madrid in 1992.  The official opening of the Embassy of Spain in New Zealand took place in June 2009 during the visit to New Zealand by Their Majesties Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain.

The trade and economic relationship between New Zealand and Spain is developing.  Total two-way trade with Spain was NZ$477m (Dec 2010) – making it our 29th largest trading partner.  There is room for an increase in economic links (trade, investment, and tourism) and prospects for that are good.  Exports to Spain are dominated by agricultural products (mainly fresh fruit, molluscs, sheep meat and frozen fish.

New Zealand signed a Working Holiday Scheme with Spain in 2009 which has proved very popular.  New Zealand and Spain also signed a Memorandum of Education Cooperation in November 2010. 

The Science and Technology relationship is also very strong.  There has been increasing cooperation between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Ministry of Science and Innovation in NewZealand.  In April 2011 the Spanish research vessel Hésperides visited NZ waters, making a port stop in Auckland to hold workshops with New Zealand scientists.

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Key facts

Geography/Demographics

Land area - 504,645 square kilometres
Population – 46.7 million (2011 estimate)
Capital city- Madrid
Language - Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician, Basque

Political

Political system - Parliamentary monarchy
National government - Centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers´ Party
National legislature - Council of Ministers headed by the President of the Government (who is also the Prime Minister) - Bicameral Parliament comprising the lower house Congress of Deputies (350 seats, members elected through proportional representation from multimember constituencies) and upper house Senate (264 seats, 208 directly elected members and 56 designated by regions). The Congress has greater legislative power than the Senate.
Last election – 9 March 2008
Next election – March 2012
Head of State - King Juan Carlos I
Head of Government - President of the Government (Prime Minister) José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

Economic (2011 est.)

GDP US$1.525 trillion
Real GDP growth 0.8%%
Per capita GDP US$31,351
Exports US$305.5 billion
Imports US$352.6 billion
Main exports Automobiles, fruits, minerals, metals, clothing, footwear, textiles

New Zealand Trade (to year ended Dec 2010)

NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$224 million
Main Exports - Fresh fruit, frozen fish, sheep meat, molluscs, frozen beef
NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ$253 million
Main Imports - Medicaments, motor vehicles, olive oil

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Visits

Spanish Official Visits to New Zealand

• Their Majesties Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, June 2009
• Deputy Foreign Minister Ángel Lossada, June 2009
• Science and Innovation Minister Cristina Garmendia, June 2009
• Secretary of State for Trade, Silvia Iranzo Guitterez, June 2009
• High-level business delegation, June 2009
• Spanish Parliamentary Delegation - Led by Speaker of the Senate and including representatives from the major parties, 24-30 July 2005
• Josep Piqué - Minister of Industry and Energy, June 1998

New Zealand Official Visits to Spain

• Speaker Lockwood Smith & Parliamentary Delegation, September 2010
• Hon Murray McCully – Minister of Foreign Affairs, June 2010
• Hon Chris Carter - Minister for Ethnic Affairs, January 2008
• Rt Hon Winston Peters - Minister of Foreign Affairs, September 2007
• Hon Annette King - Minister of Transport, June 2007
• Rt Hon Helen Clark- Prime Minister, April 2007
• Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt - Speaker, October 2002
• Hon Phil Goff - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, May 2002
• Hon Simon Upton - Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, March 1998
• Rt Hon Bill Birch - Minister of Finance, 1994
• H E Dame Catherine Tizard - Governor-General, 1992

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Representation

• The New Zealand Embassy Spain [external link].
• The Embassy of Spain in Wellington.

 

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Spain [external link].

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