COMPARE AND CONTRAST

COMPARE-CONTRAST ESSAY

OUTLINE (POINT-BY-POINT)

I.                    Introduction

All the countries in the world are unique

II.                  Similarity and difference between Spain and France is the location and size

A.      Spain

B.      France

III.                First difference between Spain and France is the language

A.      Spain

B.      France

IV.                Second difference between Spain and France is cities to visit

V.                  Conclusion

Discover an amazing adventure to enjoy your vacations

Are all the countries different in the world?

There is no country which is exactly the same because each one is unique with its own characteristics such as, history, food, language, customs, flag, etc. However, countries sometimes share similar things that make them seem to be the same even they are located in different continent.

When people are planning their vacations to Europe, the most common visited countries are Spain and France. These countries are well known for their splendid baroque architecture, the superb and amazing places to visit, the delicious and sophisticated food, historical background and cultural activities.

It is known that Spain and France are located in the European continent. Spain is located in the South Western Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea in the east, and the Atlantic Ocean. Likewise, France is located in Western Europe nation among the Mediterranean Sea in the southeast, the English Channel in the north and west, and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. One similarity between these countries is their size; both countries Spain and France are too extensive and they cover almost a quarter part of Europe; however, France is a little bit extensive than Spain. France has a total area of 547,030 square kilometers (211,208 square miles). In contrast, Spain has 504,782 square kilometer (194,896 square mile) territory. (Encyclopedia of the nations).

Although several and different languages are spoken around the world, each country has its own language roots. Similarly, Spain and France have the same language roots, they come from the Latin, so both languages are considered as “romantic”, but French language is officially the most romantic and elegant spoken language around the world.

Spanish is the official language in Spain; on the other hand, French is considered as official language in France. Moreover, both languages Spanish and French have regional languages, For example, some Spanish people speak Basque in the Basque country and Navarre; Catalan in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencia; and Galician in Galicia. Unlike Spain, Breton, Provenzal and Patois (main dialects spoken in France) are spoken mainly in Bretagne, Normandie, Picardie and Rhône-Alpes regions. Globally, Spain is the second spoken language around the world, while French is the third one.

Even though Spain and France are located in the same continent and they are close together, it is not the same when people sightseeing the main cities because of the culture, climate and activities. Spain and France have plenty of cities to visit. Spain has important cities that are part of the Spanish heart. The most visited ones are Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Ibiza and Valencia. Each city offers different types of activities to enjoy. For example, If you like taking a walk and sightseeing museums, you need to visit Madrid where you can go to The Prado museum, Puerta de Alcalá, Palacio Real and superb restaurants, but if you like sunny days, you can visit Valencia and Ibiza where are beautiful beaches; likewise, you can enjoy clubbing, swimming, surfing and playing in different places. On the contrary, French cities are old, gothic, and more elegant than Spain. If you like to see the brightly lights, big castles, baroque architecture and green gardens, you should go to Paris, Marseille, and Bordeaux because they are very romantic and wonderful cities where you can appreciate the best art and loyal people, but if you want to relax and see the natural landscapes, you can visit Lyon, Champagne, Bretagne and Normandie, four amazing cities where there are interesting history, exciting vineyards and delicious cuisine; however, if you want to admire the sunset and feel the breeze as same as in Spain, you should go to Cannes, Nice and Corse, three beaches where you can rest in luxury hotels, fishing, swimming and eating fresh seafood.

It is always very important to know some aspects before going on vacation because it is useful to compare and contrast the information that we find on a magazine, book, internet etc. This will allow us to have more specific information in order to see what place is better and what is worse. In this case, Spain and France are amazing places to visit; each one has differences as well as similarities so I invite you to plan an exciting vacation in order not to miss the opportunity to discover a great adventure in the old continent.

REFERENCES

France, country over view (2011). Encyclopedia of the nations. Retrieved on November, 15, 2011 from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/France.html#ixzz1e0whQZgZ

Spain, country overview (2011). Encyclopedia of the nations. Retrieved on November 15, 2011 from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Spain.html#ixzz1e0ydN1ni