Religion.—Till very lately, the Roman Catholic faith, to which almost all the nation adheres, was the only creed tolerated by law. There are 9 archbishoprics, 51 suffragan bishoprics, and 4 unattached bishoprics. Before the suppression of the monasteries in 1830, about one-fifth of the whole nation was engaged in the service of the church.
Occupations of the People.—Agriculturists, laborers, miners, artisans, shepherds, and sailors constitute two-thirds of the population; one-seventh is composed of merchants and tradesmen; another seventh of officials, the army, the nobility, the clergy, nuns, beggars, and prisoners. The nobility is very numerous; the lower nobility, mostly quite poor, counting nearly 1,000,000 hidalgos. Beggars are almost as numerous, to the lara...e number of benevolent institutions. In 1860 nearly 500,000 persons were maintainea in 1028 charitable institutions.
Productions, Commerce, Exports and Imports, etc.—The total imports of Spain, inclu ding bullion and specie, in the years 1868-74, averaged 19 millions sterling per annum; while the exports averaged 12 millions sterling. The countries with which Spain trades most extensively are France, Great Britain, Cuba, British possessions, and the United States; and of these countries, Great Britain receives the great bulk of its exports, while France (owing, to the vicinity of that country) supplies more of the imports of Spain than any other state. The foreign trade of the country is carried on most extensively at the following ports, which are set down in the order of their impor tance: Barcelona, Cadiz, Santander, Alicante, Malaga, Valencia, Bilbao, Cartagena, San Sebastian, Elizondo, and Irun. The principal articles imported are, in the order of their importance, sugar, yarn, woolen fabrics, raw cotton, iron, machinery, coals, and dried fish; the chief articles exported are—wine, metals, dried fruit,tiour, bullion, green fruits, olive oil, minerals, wool, grain, vegetables and seeds, cork, and salt.
The total imports from Spain into the United Kingdom were, in 1S75, valued at in 1876, at £8.763,146; in 1877, at £10,842,097. The exports from the Uni ted Kingdom to Spain amounted, in 1875 to £4, 294,490; in 1876, to .£4,796,498; in 1877 to £4 207,214. The wine i: sported hither from Spain in 1875 was valued at £2,122,127; in 1876 at £2,076,538; and in 1877 at £2,017,112. In 1877, £467.800 worth of Spanish
copper was imported; £1,671,272 of lead; £488,840 value of cattle; £316,586 of wheat; and near £90,000 of cork. About 5,000,000 gallons of olive oil are annually produced in the country, of which quantity the half is exported. Almonds, grapes, nuts, oranges, lemons, and raisins are also imported into Great Britain in immense quantities.
The cotton manufactures of Spain have been making considerable advance, and silk stuffs are largely fabricated. TLe principal cotton factories areat Barcelona. Excellent paper is made at Tolosa and Valladolid, and in the last named town there are a few minor manufactures. All the manufactures of tobacco, arms, and gunpowder are carried on by the government exclusively. Though neither the agricultural nor the, mineral resources of Spain are properly developed, much progress has been evident of. late years, chiefly in mining. Lead, copper, and tin are abundant; quicksilver is wrought ; and there are large deposits of good coal and iron ore. The last, however, are so imper fectly worked, that great quantities of iron and coal are imported from Belgium and England.
In 1877 the mercantile marine of Spain consisted of 2,915 sea-going vessels (of which 230 were steamers), with a total burden of 557,320 tons. The number of Spanish vessels that entered British ports in 1875 was 485. of 225.577 tons.
Railways and Roads.—in Oct., 1848, the first Spanish railway, 18m. in length, from Barcelona to Nataro, was thrown open to the public, and by the beginningof 1875, 3,S10 m. of railway were open for traffic, and in the same year 1264 m. were in course of eon. struction. The whole of the Spanish railways belong to private companies. In 1858, 6,164 m. of public roads had been constructed; in 1863, the length of public roads was 8,394 miles. The number of letters that passed through the post-oflice in 1857 was 38,. 704,788; in 1874 the number had increased to 75,300.000. In 1874 there were in opera. Lion in Spain 7,510 m. of electric telegraph. In 1857 there were 47 lighthouses in Spain, and 16 in process of construction; in 1863 there were 102 light-houses, and 34 in process of construction.