Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World War I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy, and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently, Spain has emerged from a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008, posting 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.
land: 498,980 sq km
water: 6,390 sq km
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
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
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 660 m
arable land: 24.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.8% (2018 est.)
other: 9.1% (2018 est.)
47,222,613 (2023 est.)
noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish
Spanish 84.8%, Moroccan 1.7%, Romanian 1.2%, other 12.3% (2021 est.)
note: data represent population by country of birth
Castilian Spanish (official nationwide) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community (where it is known as Valencian)) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and in the Basque-speaking area of Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in the northwest corner of Catalonia (Vall d’Aran) along with Catalan, <5,000 speakers); note - Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Basque, Calo, Catalan, Galician, and Valencian are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est.)
0-14 years: 13.37% (male 3,226,491/female 3,087,271)
15-64 years: 66.13% (male 15,649,418/female 15,577,164)
65 years and over: 20.5% (2023 est.) (male 4,169,949/female 5,512,320)
total dependency ratio: 52.4
youth dependency ratio: 21.9
elderly dependency ratio: 30.2
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2021 est.)
total: 46.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 45.2 years
female: 47.4 years
0.12% (2023 est.)
7.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
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
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
6.751 million MADRID (capital), 5.687 million Barcelona, 838,000 Valencia (2023)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 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 (2023 est.)
31.2 years (2020 est.)
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 82.8 years (2023 est.)
male: 80.1 years
female: 85.6 years
1.29 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.63 (2023 est.)
62.1% (2018)
note: percent of women aged 18-49
improved: urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
10.7% of GDP (2020)
4.44 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
3 beds/1,000 population (2018)
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
23.8% (2016)
total: 10.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total: 27.7% (2020 est.)
male: 28.6% (2020 est.)
female: 26.7% (2020 est.)
NA
50.1% (2023 est.)
4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99%
female: 98.2% (2020)
total: 18 years
male: 18 years
female: 19 years (2020)
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
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
agricultural land: 54.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 24.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.8% (2018 est.)
other: 9.1% (2018 est.)
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
0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
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.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 20.151 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 3,393,428 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.8% (2015 est.)
Tagus river source (shared with Portugal [m]) - 1,006
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
municipal: 4.56 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 5.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 18.96 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
111.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
high-income core EU economy; diversified trade portfolio; continental tourism locale; high government spending and debt; prone to political financing corruption; negatively impacted by COVID-19; important port and customs infrastructure; key clothing/footwear supplier
$1.798 trillion (2021 est.)
$1.704 trillion (2020 est.)
$1.921 trillion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
5.52% (2021 est.)
-11.33% (2020 est.)
1.98% (2019 est.)
$37,900 (2021 est.)
$36,000 (2020 est.)
$40,800 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$1,393,351,000,000 (2019 est.)
3.09% (2021 est.)
-0.32% (2020 est.)
0.7% (2019 est.)
Fitch rating: A- (2018)
Moody’s rating: Baa1 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: A (2019)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 2.6% (2017 est.)
industry: 23.2% (2017 est.)
services: 74.2% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 57.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 18.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 34.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -31.4% (2017 est.)
barley, milk, wheat, olives, grapes, tomatoes, pork, maize, oranges, sugar beets
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
4.03% (2021 est.)
23.382 million (2021 est.)
14.73% (2021 est.)
15.53% (2020 est.)
14.1% (2019 est.)
total: 36.9% (2021 est.)
male: 35.9%
female: 38.2%
20.7% (2018 est.)
34.3 (2019 est.)
on food: 12.1% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 24% (2011)
revenues: $546.084 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $585.979 billion (2019 est.)
-3.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
141.22% of GDP (2020 est.)
108.99% of GDP (2019 est.)
104.74% of GDP (2018 est.)
13.58% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
$13.445 billion (2021 est.)
$8.045 billion (2020 est.)
$29.247 billion (2019 est.)
$497.868 billion (2021 est.) ; note: data are in current year dollars
$393.774 billion (2020 est.) ; note: data are in current year dollars
$486.633 billion (2019 est.) ; note: data are in current year dollars
France 15%, Germany 11%, Italy 8%, Portugal 8%, United Kingdom 7%, United States 5% (2019)
cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, delivery trucks, clothing and apparel (2019)
$476.678 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$375.087 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$445.719 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Germany 13%, France 11%, China 8%, Italy 7% (2019)
crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019)
$92.201 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$81.288 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$74.731 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$2.338 trillion (2019 est.)
$2.366 trillion (2018 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 115.837 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 233.267 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 14.649 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 17.928 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 23.999 billion kWh (2020 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 32.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 21.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 8.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 22.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 13.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 7 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 7.12GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 21.38% (2016)
Percent of total energy produced: 33.2% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1
production: 546,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 4.918 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 2.083 million metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 4.857 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 1.187 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 47,200 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1.328 million bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 1,364,700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.)
1.361 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
562,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)
464,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
production: 57.99 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
consumption: 32.03 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 1.185 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 32.489 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 2.549 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
280.624 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 16.743 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 191.299 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 72.582 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
122.673 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
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
EC
135 (2021)
102
civil airports: 28
military airports: 6
joint use (civil-military) airports: 13
other airports: 55
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
33
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
13 (2021)
10,481 km gas, 358 km oil, 4,378 km refined products (2017)
total: 15,489 km (2020) 9,953 km electrified
total: 683,175 km (2011)
paved: 683,175 km (2011) (includes 16,205 km of expressways)
1,000 km (2012)
total: 494 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 35, oil tanker 23, other 435
major seaport(s):
Atlantic Ocean: Bilbao, Huelva; Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (in the Canary Islands)
Mediterranean Sea: Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Tarragona, Valencia
container port(s) (TEUs): Algeciras (4,799,497), Barcelona (3,531,762), Valencia (5,604,478) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, El Musel, Huelva, Mugardos, Sagunto
river port(s): Seville (Guadalquivir River)
manyapis