Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Spain
Spain: Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) was 45.52 in 2031. ▲ Rising
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP in Spain, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Spain is 45.52, measured in 2031.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Spain peaked at 51.43 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 30.2, in 1980.
That places Spain 2nd out of 26 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025) (Percent) in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30.2 | — |
| 1981 | 31.33 | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 34.86 | +11.3% |
| 1983 | 35.91 | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 36.7 | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 39.79 | +8.4% |
| 1986 | 39.57 | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 38.53 | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 38.71 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 40.11 | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 41.08 | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 42.61 | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 43.86 | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 46.27 | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 44.83 | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 44.13 | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 42.87 | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 41.49 | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 40.98 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 39.96 | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 39.12 | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 38.42 | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 38.63 | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 38.36 | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 38.79 | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 38.45 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 38.39 | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 39.18 | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 41.33 | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 46.07 | +11.5% |
| 2010 | 45.84 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 45.94 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 49.24 | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 46.16 | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 45.06 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 43.68 | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 42.14 | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 41.05 | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 41.52 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 42.01 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.43 | +22.4% |
| 2021 | 49.49 | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 46.31 | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 45.42 | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 45.47 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 44.7 | -1.7% |
| 2026 | 45.29 | +1.3% |
| 2027 | 45.41 | +0.3% |
| 2028 | 44.99 | -0.9% |
| 2029 | 45.27 | +0.6% |
| 2030 | 45.42 | +0.3% |
| 2031 | 45.52 | +0.2% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 45.52 is above the median for high income countries, which is 37.53, 1.2× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Spain's 45.52 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 45.34, 1.0× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 36.57 | 30.2 | 40.11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.81 | 39.96 | 46.27 | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.67 | 38.36 | 46.07 | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.26 | 41.05 | 49.24 | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.38 | 44.7 | 51.43 | 10 |
| 2030s | 45.47 | 45.42 | 45.52 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More public sector data for Spain
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 237.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.03 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -16.85 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Spain?
- Expenditure, general government, percent of gdp in Spain was 45.52 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 51.43 in 2020.
- What is the lowest expenditure, general government, percent of gdp recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.2 in 1980.
- How does Spain rank for expenditure, general government, percent of gdp?
- Spain ranks 2nd out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is expenditure, general government, percent of gdp rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Expenditure, General government, Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.