Map of Spain | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Spain remained neutral during both World Wars but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39) resulting in a dictatorship. A peaceful transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975 and rapid economic modernization after Spain joined the EU in 1986 gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy. After a severe recession in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008, Spain has posted solid years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen but remains high, especially among youth. Spain is the euro-zone's fourth-largest economy. The country has faced increased domestic turmoil in recent years due to the independence movement in its restive Catalonia region.


top of page


Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 505,370 km²
Land: 498,980 km²
Water: 6,390 km²
Note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Comparative: almost five times the size of Kentucky; slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Country comparison total: 1,952.7 km
Country comparison border countries: (5) Andorra 63 km; France 646 km; Gibraltar 1.2 km; Portugal 1,224 km; Morocco (Ceuta) 8 km; and Morocco (Melilla) 10.5 km
Country comparison note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Land boundaries
Total: 1,952.7 km
Border countries: (5) Andorra 63 km; France 646 km; Gibraltar 1.2 km; Portugal 1,224 km; Morocco (Ceuta) 8 km; and Morocco (Melilla) 10.5 km
Note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north

Elevation
Highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 660 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 54.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 24.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 20.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 36.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 9.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 37,593 km² (2020)

Major rivers
By length in km: Tagus river source (shared with Portugal [m]) - 1,006
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 4.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 5.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 18.96 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 111.5 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts, occasional flooding
Volcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m), which last erupted in 1971, is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano

Geography
Note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas; Spain's Canary Islands are one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal), and Cabo Verde


top of page


Population
Distribution: with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior reflecting Spain's agrarian heritage; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona
Total: 47,280,433
Male: 23,069,327
Female: 24,211,106 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.12% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 20.2% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Spaniard(s)
Adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: Spanish 84.8%, Moroccan 1.7%, Romanian 1.2%, other 12.3% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent population by country of birth

Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in part of Catalonia) <5,000 speakers
Major-language samples: La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Calo, and Valencian are also recognized as regional languages

Religions: Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 13% (male 3,147,019/female 3,012,821)
15-64 years: 66.1% (male 15,662,492/female 15,585,138)
65 years and over: 20.9% (2024 est.) (male 4,259,816/female 5,613,147)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.4
Youth dependency ratio: 21.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 30.2
Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 46.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 45.7 years
Female: 47.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.12% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 7.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior reflecting Spain's agrarian heritage; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona

Urbanization
Urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla

Major urban areas
Population: 6.751 million MADRID (capital), 5.687 million Barcelona, 838,000 Valencia (2023)

Environment
Current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas and drought are negatively impacting water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 9.34 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 244 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 36.94 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 31.2 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83 years (2024 est.)
Male: 80.3 years
Female: 85.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 62.1% (2018)
Note: percent of women aged 18-49

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0.1% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.8% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 10.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 27.7% (2020 est.)
Male: 28.6% (2020 est.)
Female: 26.7% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.6%
Male: 99%
Female: 98.2% (2020)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 18 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 19 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 28.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 28.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 28.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
Conventional short form: Spain
Local long form: Reino de Espana
Local short form: Espana
Etymology: derivation of the name 'Espana' is uncertain, but may come from the Phoenician term 'span,' related to the word 'spy,' meaning 'to forge metals,' so, 'i-spn-ya' would mean 'place where metals are forged'; the ancient Phoenicians long exploited the Iberian Peninsula for its mineral wealth

Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Madrid
Geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Note: Spain has two time zones, including the Canary Islands (UTC 0)
Etymology: the Romans named the original settlement 'Matrice' after the river that ran through it; under Arab rule it became 'Majerit,' meaning 'source of water'; in medieval Romance dialects (Mozarabic) it became 'Matrit,' which over time changed to 'Madrid'

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia; Aragon; Asturias; Canarias (Canary Islands); Cantabria; Castilla-La Mancha; Castilla-Leon; Cataluna (Castilian), Catalunya (Catalan), Catalonha (Aranese) [Catalonia]; Ceuta*; Comunidad Valenciana (Castilian), Comunitat Valenciana (Valencian) [Valencian Community]; Extremadura; Galicia; Illes Baleares (Balearic Islands); La Rioja; Madrid; Melilla*; Murcia; Navarra (Castilian), Nafarroa (Basque) [Navarre]; Pais Vasco (Castilian), Euskadi (Basque) [Basque Country]
Note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)

Dependent areas

Independence: 1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday: National Day (Hispanic Day), 12 October (1492)
Note: commemorates the arrival of COLUMBUS in the Americas

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by the General Courts 31 October 1978, passed by referendum 6 December 1978, signed by the king 27 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Amendments: proposed by the government, by the General Courts (the Congress or the Senate), or by the self-governing communities submitted through the government; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by both houses and passage by referendum if requested by one tenth of the members of either house; proposals disapproved by both houses are submitted to a joint committee, which submits an agreed upon text for another vote; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in Congress and simple majority vote in the Senate; amended 1992, 2011

Legal system: civil law system with regional variations

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Spain
Dual citizenship recognized: only with select Latin American countries
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years for persons with no ties to Spain

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King FELIPE VI (since 19 June 2014)
Head of government: President of the Government of Spain (prime minister-equivalent) Pedro SANCHEZ PEREZ-CASTEJON (since 2 June 2018)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually proposes as president the leader of the majority party or coalition, who is then indirectly elected by the Congress of Deputies; election last held on 23 July 2023 (next to be held on 31 July 2,027); vice president and Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Election results: Congress of Deputies vote - 179 to 171 (16 November 2023)
Note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral General Courts or Las Cortes Generales consists of: Senate or Senado (265 seats; 208 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 57 members indirectly elected by the legislatures of the autonomous communities; members serve 4-year terms); Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; 348 members directly elected in 50 multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a 3% threshold needed to gain a seat, and 2 directly elected from the North African Ceuta and Melilla enclaves by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms or until the government is dissolved)
Elections: Senate - last held on 23 July 2023 (next to be held no later than July 2,027); Congress of Deputies - last held on 23 July 2023 (next to be held no later than July 2,027)
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 120, PSOE 72, ERC 7, PNV 4, other 5; composition - men 153, women 112; percentage women 42.3%; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PP 33.1%, PSOE 31.7%, Vox 12.4%, Sumar 12.3%, ERC 1.7%, Junts 1.6%, EH-Bildu 1.4%, PNV 1.1% other 4.7%; seats by party - PP 137, PSOE 121, Vox 33, Sumar 31, ERC 7, Junts 7, EH-Bildu 6, PNV 5, other 3; composition - men 195, women 155, percentage women 44.3%; total General Courts percentage women 42%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president and organized into the Civil Room, with a president and 9 judges; the Penal Room, with a president and 14 judges; the Administrative Room, with a president and 32 judges; the Social Room, with a president and 12 judges; and the Military Room, with a president and 7 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional de Espana (consists of 12 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates proposed by the General Council of the Judiciary Power, a 20-member governing board chaired by the monarch that includes presidential appointees, lawyers, and jurists confirmed by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Assembly, executive branch, and the General Council of the Judiciary, and appointed by the monarch for 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: National High Court; High Courts of Justice (in each of the autonomous communities); provincial courts; courts of first instance

Political parties and leaders: Asturias Forum or FAC , Basque Country Unite (Euskal Herria Bildu) or EH Bildu (coalition of 4 Basque pro-independence parties), Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ , Canarian Coalition or CC (coalition of 5 parties), Ciudadanos Party (Citizens Party) or Cs , Compromis - Compromise Coalition , Navarrese People's Union or UPN , Together for Catalonia or Junts , People's Party or PP , Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC , Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE , Teruel Existe or TE , Unidas (Unite) or Sumar (electoral coalition formed in March 2022) (formerly Unidas Podemos or UP), Vox or VOX

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CABEI, CAN (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Ángeles MORENO Bau (since 27 February 2024)
In the us chancery: 2,375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100
In the us fax: [1] (202) 833-5,670
In the us email address and website: emb.washington@maec.es; [link]
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Julissa REYNOSO (since 2 February 2022)
From the us note: also accredited to Andorra
From the us embassy: Calle de Serrano, 75, 28,006 Madrid
From the us mailing address: 8,500 Madrid Place, Washington DC 20,521-8,500
From the us telephone: [34] (91) 587-2,200
From the us fax: [34] (91) 587-2,303
From the us email address and website: askACS@state.gov; [link]
From the us consulates general: Barcelona

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of 'Plus Ultra' (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century
Note: the red and yellow colors are related to those of the oldest Spanish kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon, and Navarre

National symbols: Pillars of Hercules; national colors: red, yellow

National anthem
Name: 'Himno Nacional Espanol' (National Anthem of Spain)
Lyrics/music: no lyrics/unknown
Note: officially in use between 1770 and 1931, restored in 1939; the Spanish anthem is the first anthem to be officially adopted, but it has no lyrics; in the years prior to 1931 it became known as 'Marcha Real' (The Royal March); it first appeared in a 1761 military bugle call book and was replaced by 'Himno de Riego' in the years between 1931 and 1939; the long version of the anthem is used for the king, while the short version is used for the prince, prime minister, and occasions such as sporting events

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 50 (44 cultural, 4 natural, 2 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales:


top of page


Economy overview: high-income core EU and eurozone economy; strong growth driven by public consumption, tourism, and other service exports; tight labor market despite high structural unemployment; government debt remains high amid deficit reductions; innovation and economic freedom ranked lower than EU and OECD peers

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.242 trillion (2023 est.); $2.188 trillion (2022 est.); $2.068 trillion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.5% (2023 est.); 5.77% (2022 est.); 6.4% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $46,400 (2023 est.); $45,800 (2022 est.); $43,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 55.6% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 39% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -34.8% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 20.2% (2023 est.)
Services: 68.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, barley, wheat, grapes, pork, olives, tomatoes, maize, oranges, sugar beets (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 1.94% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 24.108 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 12.14% (2023 est.); 12.92% (2022 est.); 14.78% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 28.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 28.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 28.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 20.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $467.609 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $514.452 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 15.82% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 111.43% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.53% (2023 est.); 8.39% (2022 est.); 3.09% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $41.094 billion (2023 est.); $8.095 billion (2022 est.); $10.893 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $615.83 billion (2023 est.); $578.039 billion (2022 est.); $493.359 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: France 17%, Germany 10%, Portugal 9%, Italy 8%, UK 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $550.576 billion (2023 est.); $561.49 billion (2022 est.); $479.392 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 11%, China 10%, France 10%, Italy 7%, US 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, garments, cars, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $103.089 billion (2023 est.); $92.905 billion (2022 est.); $92.201 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 118.141 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 232.66 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 27.916 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 8.043 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 26.117 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 37.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 20.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 11.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 22% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 1.293 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 8.255 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.45 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 10.775 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.187 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 47,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1.269 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 41.009 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 32.833 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 6.066 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 39.662 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.549 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 266.476 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 15.6 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 184.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 66.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 105.979 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 18.687 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 59.02 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023); 1.2% of GDP (2022); 1% of GDP (2021); 1% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Spanish Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de España): Army (Ejército de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola; includes Marine Corps), Air and Space Force (Ejército del Aire y del Espacio), Emergency Response Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias); Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) (2024)
Note 1: the Civil Guard is a military force with police duties (including coast guard) under both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior; it also responds to the needs of the Ministry of Finance
Note 2: the Emergency Response Unit was established in 2006 as a separate branch of service for responding to natural disasters and providing disaster relief both domestically and abroad; it has personnel from all the other military services
Note 3: the Spanish National Police (Cuerpo Nacional de Policía, CNP) and the Civil Guard maintain internal security as well as migration and border enforcement under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior; the regional police under the authority of the Catalan and the Basque Country regional governments and municipal police throughout the country also support domestic security
Note 4: the military has a Common Corps of four specialized corps that provide professional services to all the branches of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard, including comptroller, legal, medical, and music services
Note 5: the Royal Guard is an independent regiment of the military dedicated to the protection of the King and members of the royal family; it is made up of members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Common Corps

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 24-36 month initial obligation; women allowed to serve in all branches, including combat units; no conscription (abolished 2001), but the Spanish Government retains the right to mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency; 18-58 for the voluntary reserves (2024)
Note 1: as of 2024, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel
Note 2: the military recruits foreign nationals with residency in Spain from countries of its former empire, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 21 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 552
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 80,672,105 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.117 billion (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EC

Airports: 363 (2024)

Heliports: 121 (2024)

Pipelines: 10,481 km gas, 358 km oil, 4,378 km refined products (2017)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 150,110 km (2021)

Waterways: 1,000 km (2012)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 14,994 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 438,400 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2022); 192,390 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)
Stateless persons: 6,489 (2022)
Note: 351,562 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals, including Canary Islands (January 2015-March 2024)

Illicit drugs: a European transit point for cocaine from South America and for hashish from Morocco; cocaine is shipped in raw or liquid form with mixed cargo to avoid detection or altered to escape detection after which chemists within Spain extract and reconstitute any altered form of cocaine, preparing it for distribution within Europe; minor domestic drug production; occasionally synthetic drugs, including ketamine, new psychoactive substances (NPS), and MDMA transit through Spain to the United States