End of year unemployment figures

The number of registered unemployed in Andalucia at the end of 2011 was 969,152, an increase of 7.21% over the 2010 figure.

Road traffic fatalities 2011

A total of 1,479 people died on the roads in Spain during 2011, the first time for fifty years that the figure has been below 1,500.

Minimum wage frozen for 2012

The new government of Mariano Rajoy has decided to freeze the so-called minimum wage for 2012 at €641.40 per month, an unprecedented move in recent Spanish history.

One year since the introduction of the anti-smoking laws

The National Committee for the Prevention of Smoking (CNPT) estimates that 600,000 have quit the habit since the anti-smoking laws were introduced almost one year ago. They also report that there has been a 10% drop in hospital admissions due to heart attacks and a 15% drop in cases of asthma amongst children.

Eight Spanish banks ‘on review’

The credit ratings agency Fitch has warned that eight Spanish banks are ‘on review’ for a possible reduction in their credit ratings, mainly due to the profound adverse effect the eurozone crisis is having on economic and financial stability.

A few weather stats for 2011

Taking the period up to November 30th 2011, the average temperature has been 16.67 degrees which is slightly higher than the previous best, 2006.

More downgrades on the horizon

Spain and Italy have been warned to brace for a debt downgrade after a leading rating agency concluded that a ‘comprehensive solution to the eurozone crisis is technically and politically beyond reach’.

Population increase

The population of Andalucia has grown by 0.6% during the past year to 8,424,102 registered inhabitants, that’s 53,127 more than last year. The population of Spain as a whole rose by 0.4% (169,462) in the past year to 47,191,000. Asturias, Galicia, Castilla y Leon and Aragon were the only regions to experience a population decline.