Europe & Central Asia · EU · OECD · NATO
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
45.5%
+1.4 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
18.7%
+4.4 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
6.50%
+1.3 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
0.90%
-0.5 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
4.10%
-0.2 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
2.50%
-2.6 pts since 1995
Gross debt · 2025
100.5%
of GDP · +39 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
49.4m
24.2% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Spain yet.
Welfare rose from 14.3% to 21.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 18.7% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 5.2% to 7.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 6.5% by 2024.
Defence fell from 1.4% to 0.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Education rose from 4.3% to 4.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 4.1% by 2024.
Debt interest fell from 5.1% to 1.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2006, then rose to 2.5% by 2024.
Total spending rose from 44.1% to 51.4% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 45.5% by 2024.
Gross debt fell from 61.6% to 35.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2007, then rose to 100.5% by 2025.
Population grew from 39.7 million in 1995 to 49.4 million in 2025; the UN projects 45.7 million by 2050.