Menorca Information

Menorca lies in the Mediterranean, 200km (120 miles) southeast of Barcelona.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

694 sq km.

85,000 (2007).

127 per sq km.

Mahon (Maó). Population: 27,468 (2007).

Menorca is largely flat and rural with its highest point, Monte Toro, at just 358m (1174ft). Cliffs and a deep harbour mark the arrival of ships at Mahon but elsewhere the island is largely surrounded by small sandy coves and beaches.

Parliamentary monarchy since 1978.

King Juan Carlos I since 1975.

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero since 2004.

In March 2008, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's ruling Socialist Party was re-elected, winning 169 seats, just short of the 176 needed for an absolute parliamentary majority.

One of Spain's most serious domestic issues continues to be tension in the northern Basque region. In March 2006, the Basque separatist organization ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) announced a permanent ceasefire but despite a pledge to seek a political solution, relations with the government remain brittle. Spain's claim to Gibraltar continues, while Morocco claims the Spanish North African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta.

The principal language is Spanish (Castilian) though residents also speak Catalan (in the local dialect called Menorquin or Menorquí). Local place names are in both Spanish and Catalan (Catalá); for example, Menorca is Minorca and Mahon is Maó. English and German are widely spoken in all tourist destinations.

There is no official religion, but the majority of the population is Roman Catholic.

220 or 225 volts AC, 50Hz. Generally, round two-pin plugs and screw-type lamp fittings are in use.

Spanish life has undergone rapid change in recent decades and many of the stricter religious customs are giving way to modernity, particularly in the cities and among women. In spite of this, traditions remain strong; hospitality, chivalry and courtesy thrive. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting between men, while women to whom one has already been introduced may be greeted with a fleeting kiss to either cheek. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone's home and a small gift is always appreciated. Conservative casual wear is widely acceptable. Outside resorts, scanty beachwear should be confined to beach or poolside.

The evening meal is taken late, generally 2100-2200. A law banning smoking in offices, shops, schools, hospitals, cultural centres and on public transport was introduced on 1 January 2006. Bars and restaurants must declare whether they permit or prohibit smoking. The vast majority have opted for the former.