Wisdom » Good to Know

Spain - in Translation

When the Phoenicians (among the first inhabitants of Spain) entered Spain, there were said to be so many rabbits that they named the land "Isephanim" (I-shephan-im), which in the Phoenician language means "The Rabbit Shore".

The first traces of civilisation in Spain found in written records are said to have been left by the Iberians. The Iberians, as is known, came from North Africa, and there is a version that the first name of Spain derived from the name of a river, Iber. As a result, Spain was named Iberia.

Then came the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians were traders and explorers of lands who, seeking new colonies, spread along the entire Mediterranean coast. When these people entered Spain, there were said to be so many rabbits that they named the land "Isephanim" (I-shephan-im), which in the Phoenician language means "The Rabbit Shore".

The ancient Romans arrived later and named the peninsula "Hispania", which meant "land of the sunset". Thus, over time, the name of Spain evolved - España, which has survived to our day.

Lovers of rabbits and hares, take note. There is also some bad news. In the second half of the last century the number of rabbits decreased by 90%, the cause of which was a mass epidemic. This problem has been taken up by the World Wildlife Fund [2], which is doing everything possible to maintain Spain's status as "rabbit land".