Regionalism and Nationalism of Spain.
Spain is a country composed of various peoples with differing cultures, values, languages, and politics. The modern-day country of Spain is composed of 17 regions in the country proper. Ceuta and Melilla are two regions of Spain located on the Mediterranean coast of Africa.
In Spain, four major languages are spoken: Catalan, which is the language of the region incorporating Barcelona; Euskara, Vasquence, or Basque, which is the language of the region named "El pais vasco"; Gallego or Galician, which is the language spoken in the region of Galicia, north of Portugal; and finally, Castellano or Castillian. Castillian is the language of the people who hailed from the region of Castille, where present-day Madrid is located and hence is the seat of the government. As Castille fought to incorporate all of the other regions under the Spanish crown, Castillian became the recognised language of Spain.
During the exploration and colonization of the New World, Castillian Spanish was spoken and thus labelled Spanish by westerners. However, to people of Spain and other Europeans in the know, Spanish is actually referred to as Castillian, or Castellano (Spanish).
The fervor, resentment, and pride that these various regions feel is evident in everyday society and news in Spain, and is sometimes cause for concern for the unity and well-being of the Spanish country.
This link will provide information regarding the sentiments of the various regions, and elucidate the happenings in Spanish politics.Spanish Regionalism and Nationalism
