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First, today, we're taking you to southwestern Europe. There are about 49 million people who live in the nation of Spain. Sixteen percent of themlive in Catalonia. This is a wealthy region of Spain that held a referendum, a vote yesterday on whether Catalonia should become an independent country.
Catalonia has its own government, which determines much of the region's health care, education and tax collection policies. But Catalonia also pays tax to Spain and some of the politicians who wanted to be independent say it's unfair for the tax money from wealthier regions like Catalonia to go toward funding other parts of Spain.
But back in 1978, more than 90 percent of Catalan voters supported the Spanish constitution, which mentioned the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation. Only Spain's parliament can change that constitution and the nation's government and supreme court have said it's illegal for Cataloniato hold a vote on independence.
Spanish national police raided some Catalan polling stations and fired rubber bullets, in an effort to keep the vote from happening. Hundreds of injuries were reported. Most of them of civilians, but 13 officers were hurt as well. The Spanish government and the Catalan government each blamed the other side for the violence.
REPORTER: First, it was the students, then came the firemen, and finally, the farmers. The last day of campaigning in Catalonia's independence referendum may have drawn to an end, but the tension on the streets is only building. The Spanish government has said Sunday's vote is illegal and must not go ahead.
Barcelona's port has become a staging ground for Spanish police, extra forces and police vans shifting from the across the country, all to try to block people from voting.
The Spanish government has seized millions of ballots and campaign leaflets, arrested Catalan officials and closed down political Websites.
It's a vote long campaigned for by separatists in Catalonia. The region in northeastern Spain already has limited autonym from the central government in Madrid. It has its own flag, its own national anthem, and its own language.
But still, many Catalans want more. They want full independence for their region, which is Spain's number one tourist destination. Famous for Gaudi, the iconic Sagrada Familia.
