Government spending as share of GDP in Spain
Spain: Government spending as share of GDP was 45.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
45.3%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
27th
of 151 countries
All-time high
51.4%
in 2020
All-time low
6.3%
in 1873
Years of data
171
1850–2024
Government spending as share of GDP in Spain, 1850–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, government spending as share of gdp in Spain stood at 45.3%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Spain peaked at 51.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 1873.
That places Spain 27th out of 151 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Government spending as share of GDP in Spain, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 7.5% | — |
| 1851 | 7.7% | +3.7% |
| 1852 | 7.8% | +1.4% |
| 1853 | 6.8% | -12.8% |
| 1854 | 7.2% | +4.7% |
| 1855 | 7.5% | +4.3% |
| 1856 | 8.7% | +16.0% |
| 1857 | 9.6% | +11.0% |
| 1858 | 9.4% | -2.3% |
| 1859 | 9.2% | -1.8% |
| 1860 | 10.7% | +15.7% |
| 1861 | 11.2% | +4.5% |
| 1862 | 10.3% | -7.6% |
| 1863 | 10.5% | +1.8% |
| 1864 | 15.9% | +51.2% |
| 1865 | 11.8% | -25.9% |
| 1866 | 9.6% | -18.0% |
| 1867 | 11.8% | +22.7% |
| 1868 | 14.6% | +23.8% |
| 1869 | 14.2% | -3.0% |
| 1870 | 15.3% | +7.7% |
| 1871 | 11.2% | -26.9% |
| 1872 | 9.5% | -15.3% |
| 1873 | 6.3% | -33.5% |
| 1874 | 10.1% | +60.5% |
| 1875 | 10.5% | +3.9% |
| 1876 | 15.2% | +45.1% |
| 1877 | 10.5% | -31.2% |
| 1878 | 11.6% | +10.6% |
| 1879 | 9.4% | -18.7% |
| 1880 | 8.7% | -8.0% |
| 1881 | 11.8% | +35.6% |
| 1882 | 8.1% | -30.8% |
| 1883 | 8.7% | +7.3% |
| 1884 | 8.9% | +2.1% |
| 1885 | 9.3% | +4.7% |
| 1886 | 9.2% | -1.7% |
| 1887 | 9.7% | +6.0% |
| 1888 | 9.0% | -7.9% |
| 1889 | 8.4% | -6.7% |
| 1890 | 9.2% | +10.4% |
| 1891 | 9.1% | -2.1% |
| 1892 | 9.0% | -0.5% |
| 1893 | 8.5% | -6.0% |
| 1894 | 9.5% | +12.7% |
| 1895 | 8.6% | -9.8% |
| 1896 | 10.2% | +17.9% |
| 1897 | 10.2% | +0.1% |
| 1898 | 9.8% | -3.7% |
| 1899 | 8.1% | -16.9% |
| 1900 | 8.5% | +4.7% |
| 1901 | 8.8% | +3.0% |
| 1902 | 9.1% | +3.5% |
| 1903 | 9.0% | -0.7% |
| 1904 | 8.3% | -8.0% |
| 1905 | 8.5% | +2.2% |
| 1906 | 8.6% | +1.9% |
| 1907 | 8.5% | -2.2% |
| 1908 | 8.4% | -0.3% |
| 1909 | 9.0% | +6.9% |
| 1910 | 10.0% | +10.4% |
| 1911 | 9.2% | -7.8% |
| 1912 | 9.6% | +5.1% |
| 1913 | 11.3% | +17.0% |
| 1914 | 11.0% | -2.5% |
| 1915 | 15.9% | +44.4% |
| 1916 | 11.4% | -28.1% |
| 1917 | 13.6% | +18.8% |
| 1918 | 9.9% | -27.1% |
| 1919 | 13.9% | +40.9% |
| 1920 | 12.1% | -13.0% |
| 1921 | 19.6% | +62.1% |
| 1922 | 13.3% | -32.3% |
| 1923 | 15.2% | +14.5% |
| 1924 | 14.5% | -5.0% |
| 1925 | 11.8% | -18.3% |
| 1926 | 11.9% | +0.9% |
| 1927 | 10.4% | -12.6% |
| 1928 | 12.9% | +23.7% |
| 1929 | 12.4% | -3.9% |
| 1930 | 10.6% | -14.8% |
| 1931 | 10.8% | +2.7% |
| 1932 | 13.6% | +25.0% |
| 1933 | 14.9% | +10.2% |
| 1934 | 13.9% | -6.8% |
| 1935 | 12.9% | -7.6% |
| 1940 | 19.6% | +52.8% |
| 1941 | 19.7% | +0.4% |
| 1942 | 15.8% | -20.1% |
| 1943 | 25.8% | +64.0% |
| 1944 | 21.2% | -17.9% |
| 1945 | 21.7% | +2.4% |
| 1946 | 13.8% | -36.5% |
| 1947 | 13.9% | +0.9% |
| 1948 | 11.1% | -20.1% |
| 1949 | 11.3% | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 11.7% | +3.4% |
| 1951 | 8.7% | -25.4% |
| 1952 | 9.1% | +4.4% |
| 1953 | 8.5% | -6.8% |
| 1954 | 8.8% | +3.7% |
| 1955 | 8.9% | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 9.1% | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 8.1% | -11.6% |
| 1958 | 10.9% | +35.3% |
| 1959 | 10.5% | -3.8% |
| 1960 | 11.0% | +5.0% |
| 1961 | 10.0% | -9.5% |
| 1962 | 10.6% | +5.9% |
| 1963 | 12.4% | +17.1% |
| 1964 | 12.7% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 14.0% | +10.3% |
| 1966 | 11.8% | -16.2% |
| 1967 | 12.5% | +6.2% |
| 1968 | 12.8% | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 12.3% | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 12.3% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 14.0% | +13.9% |
| 1972 | 12.5% | -10.5% |
| 1973 | 9.9% | -20.9% |
| 1974 | 11.4% | +15.4% |
| 1975 | 11.4% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 11.5% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 12.8% | +11.6% |
| 1978 | 14.3% | +11.8% |
| 1979 | 14.3% | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 16.3% | +14.0% |
| 1981 | 18.1% | +11.0% |
| 1982 | 21.5% | +18.4% |
| 1983 | 26.0% | +20.9% |
| 1984 | 27.0% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 27.6% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 28.4% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 31.1% | +9.7% |
| 1988 | 28.6% | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 32.1% | +12.1% |
| 1990 | 32.8% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | -7.8% |
| 1992 | 33.8% | +11.9% |
| 1993 | 41.2% | +22.0% |
| 1994 | 32.6% | -21.0% |
| 1995 | 44.5% | +36.4% |
| 1996 | 43.2% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 41.7% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 41.1% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 39.9% | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 39.2% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 38.7% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 38.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 38.4% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 38.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 38.4% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 38.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 39.2% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 41.5% | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 46.3% | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 45.6% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 45.9% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 46.2% | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 45.1% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 43.7% | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 42.1% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 41.0% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 41.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 42.0% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.4% | +22.4% |
| 2021 | 49.5% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 46.4% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 45.5% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 45.3% | -0.3% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 45.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.3%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Spain's 45.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 44.4%, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 8.1% | 6.8% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1860s | 12.1% | 9.6% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 1870s | 11.0% | 6.3% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 1880s | 9.2% | 8.1% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 1890s | 9.2% | 8.1% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1900s | 8.7% | 8.3% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1910s | 11.6% | 9.2% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 1920s | 13.4% | 10.4% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 1930s | 12.8% | 10.6% | 14.9% | 6 |
| 1940s | 17.4% | 11.1% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 1950s | 9.4% | 8.1% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.0% | 10.0% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.4% | 9.9% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.7% | 16.3% | 32.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.1% | 30.2% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.8% | 38.4% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.2% | 41.0% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.6% | 45.3% | 51.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More economy & growth data for Spain
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.77 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.62 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 46.38 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0243 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 939.77 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 28.09 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -34.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0147 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 569.12 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 19.32 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Spain?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Spain was 45.3% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 51.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 1873.
- How does Spain rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Spain ranks 27th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 171 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Sum of all the money spent by the government on goods and services, as a percentage of GDP. It includes interest paid on government debt.