The population in 1991 was 38,872,268 inhabitants. The capital & largest city is Madrid, the second largest city is Barcelona. Most of the people speak Castilian Spanish. Roman Catholicism is professed by about 97% of the population. Catholic marriage is the basis of the family, which in turn is the foundation of Spanish society. On January 1, 1986, Spain became a full member of the European Community (now the European Union - or EU). The unit of currency is the peseta (126 pesetas equal U.S. $1; 1995). Fiestas (festivals) are an outstanding feature of Spanish life. They usually begin with a high mass followed by a solemn procession in which venerated images are carried on the shoulders of the participants. Music, dancing, poetry & singing often enliven these colorful occasions. The fiesta at Valencia, the April fair in Seville & the San Fermín fiesta at Pamplona are several of the more important ones. In contrast, the feast of Corpus Christi in Toledo & Granada & the Holy Week observances in Valladolid, Zamora & Cuenca are solemn affairs. Bullfighting is the Spanish National sport, the bullfight (an important part of Spanish tradition) has been called fiesta brava. Spanish music has a vitality & a rhythm that reflect the many influences on the culture by the Christians and the Moors. The zarzuela, a form of opera, was introduced in the 17th Century. Spanish dance styles (each with its own music) include: the bolero, the flamenco, the jota & the fandango. The climate, beaches & historic cities of Spain are an attraction for tourists, which make a significant contribution to the country's economy. Influential daily newspapers include: El País & A.B.C. (both published in Madrid), and La Vanguardia & El Periódico (issued in Barcelona).

The population in a 1991 census was 3,523,401 inhabitants. The capital and largest city is Dublin (915,516 people). Cork is the second largest city and a major port (127,024). Other cities and towns include Limerick (75,436), Galaway (50,853), and Waterford (41,853). About 94% of the people of Ireland are Roman Catholics and less than 4% are Protestants. Almost all of the people speak English and about one-fourth also speak Irish, a Gaelic language that is the traditional tongue of Ireland. The constitution provides for both Irish and English as official languages. Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th, is the most important national holiday in Ireland. The national sports are hurling (a strenuous game similar to field hockey) and Gaelic football (which resembles soccer). Horse racing is a highly popular spectator sport throughout the republic. Irish folk music ranges from lullabies to drinking songs and many variations and nuances of tempo, rhythm and tonality are used. The Irish pound (0.5514 pounds equal U.S. $1; 1991) is the basic use of currency. All postal, telegraph, telephone and broadcasting services are operated by government agencies or statutory bodies. Under the constitution of 1937, Ireland is a sovereign, independent and democratic state. It became a republic in 1949 when Commonwealth ties with Great Britain were severed.

Important States

Columbus is Ohio's capital & largest city. Ohio entered the Union on March 1, 1803 as the 17th state. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes (buried in Fremont), James A. Garfield (buried in Cleveland), Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley (buried in Canton), William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding (buried in Marion) were born in Ohio. Ohio is called The Buckeye State. The population in 1990 was 10,847,115 inhabitants. The state was strongly antislavery from its inception and it's cities became famous stops on the Underground Railroad for escaping slaves.

Albany is the capital of New York, New York (commonly known as New York City) is the largest city. New York entered the Union on July 26, 1788 as the 11th of the original 13 states. It is the birthplace of 4 U.S. Presidents: Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, & Franklin D. Roosevelt. Other presidents, such as Grover Cleveland & Chester A. Arthur, spent most of their lives in NY. It is called The Empire State, believed to be called this because of a comment - attributed to George Washington - which predicted that NY would become the seat of the new empire. In 1990, the population was 17,990,455 inhabitants. The largest cities are: NY, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse & Albany. Historical sites include the former houses of:

Political writer Thomas Paine (New Rochelle)

the Statesman Alexander Hamilton (NYC)

Chief Justice John Jay (Mount Kisco)

Women's-Rights Advocate Susan B. Anthony (Rochester)

Writer Washington Irving (Tarrytown)

President's: Martin Van Buren (Kinderhook), Theodore Roosevelt (NYC & Oyster Bay), & Franklin D. Roosevelt (Hyde Park).

Sacramento is the capital and the largest city is Los Angeles. Other large cities include San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Long Beach & Oakland. California entered the Union on Sept. 9, 1850 as the 31st state. It is called The Golden State, named so because of the importance of the gold rush of 1849 in the state's history. In 1990, the population was 29,760,021 inhabitants.

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