Spain vs United Kingdom: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

United Kingdom has 46% more people than Spain (69.96 million vs 47.87 million). United Kingdom's economy is 2.1 times the size of Spain's ($4.1 trillion vs $1.92 trillion GDP).

Comparing Spain and United Kingdom: Spain leads on Oil Exports (240,700) against United Kingdom (1.31); Spain leads on Oil Production (29,970) against United Kingdom (1.39); United Kingdom leads on Natural Gas Proved Reserves (176) against Spain (2.55). Across 177 compared metrics, Spain wins on 73 and United Kingdom wins on 93.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration39.23 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants42.16 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…
Internet Penetration Rate (%)95.76 %ā˜…95.47 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)95.45 %96.3 %ā˜…
Internet Userspercent of population: 95% (2023 est.)percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed39.23 Mbps42.16 Mbpsā˜…
Press Freedom Index Score77.35 points78.89 pointsā˜…
Radios13.184.5ā˜…
Televisions16.230.5ā˜…
Waterways1,0003,200ā˜…

Economy

67 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country32.17B $ā˜…31.15B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.92T $4.10T $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)21.17 %ā˜…19.12 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate98.38 %99.28 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0.05 %0.25 %ā˜…
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)2.03 %4.38 %ā˜…
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %ā˜…19 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9 % of GDP10 % of GDPā˜…
Ease of Doing Business Index100ā˜…93.8
Electricity Consumption239.5309.2ā˜…
Electricity Exports14.18ā˜…2.15
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4750ā˜…
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants14ā˜…2
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels79ā˜…
Electricity from Other Renewables3239ā˜…
Electricity Imports21.85ā˜…19.7
Electricity Installed Capacity105.9ā˜…97.06
Electricity Production258.6318.2ā˜…
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)101.12 USD per capitaā˜…94.28 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate71.36 %73.49 %ā˜…
Gender Pay Gap Percentage5.88 %18.27 %ā˜…
Gender Wage Gap5.88 %ā˜…18.27 %
Gini Index Coefficient33.6ā˜…32.4
Gross Fixed Investment20.6ā˜…13.9
Gross National Saving23ā˜…13.6
High-Tech Export Percentage52.78 %63.43 %ā˜…
Highest GDP per Capita Countries49,318.11 USD53,993.12 USDā˜…
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)2.6 %ā˜…-0.5 %
Inflation Rate2.7 %ā˜…3.88 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.8 %ā˜…3.3 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2 % of GDP2.4 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption31.2779.17ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports2.8911.27ā˜…
Natural Gas Imports34.6347ā˜…
Natural Gas Production36.8142.11ā˜…
Natural Gas Proved Reserves2.55176ā˜…
Number of AI Patents Filed76 patents478 patentsā˜…
Oil Consumption1.441.62ā˜…
Oil Exports240,700ā˜…1.31
Oil Imports1.58ā˜…1.45
Oil Production29,970ā˜…1.39
Oil Proved Reserves150ā˜…2.86
Population Below Poverty Line20.2 people18.6 peopleā˜…
Public Debt107.3ā˜…138.6
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.49 %2.68 %ā˜…
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.2 USDā˜…1.1 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption1.31.58ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Exports562,400613,800ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Imports464,800907,500ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Production1.36ā˜…1.29
Remittances0.4ā˜…0.1
Researchers in R&D per Million2,847.37 researchers4,472.69 researchersā˜…
Revenue from Forest Resources0.02ā˜…0.01
Robotics Research Funding1.49 USD2.68 USDā˜…
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.660.5ā˜…
Tax Burden (% of GDP)14.93 %ā˜…26.89 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)14.93 % of GDP26.89 % of GDPā˜…
Taxes and Other Revenues1527.4ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries639.46B USD1.14T USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.47 %1.91 %ā˜…
Total Number of Billionaires3456ā˜…
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.06 %ā˜…1.77 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.06 %ā˜…1.77 %
Unemployment Rate11.4 %4.2 %ā˜…
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate57.41 %ā˜…61.37 %
Youth Unemployment Rate24.75 %14.65 %ā˜…

Environment

11 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)4.88Mā˜…5.08M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate30,143.75 %ā˜…12,600 %
Average Annual Temperature15.09 °Cā˜…10.37 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions254.82ā˜…340.94
Global Precipitation Distribution741.69 mm962.53 mmā˜…
Population Distributionwith 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; very dense settlement around the capital of Mathe core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern N
Protected Land Area for Adaptation28.1 sq km28.58 sq kmā˜…
Protected Land Area Percentage28.1 %28.4 %ā˜…
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country29.9 Cubic meters per yearā˜…9.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources111.5147ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species18 species4 speciesā˜…

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.86 %9.75 %ā˜…
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)55.87115ā˜…
Agricultural land268,740.2 sq. kmā˜…172,448.2 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km499,697.4ā˜…241,930
Coastline Length (km)4,964 km12,429 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita1,106.31 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…75.83 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land38,012ā˜…718

Government

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Rule of Law Index by Country76.3 %86.77 %ā˜…
Administrative Divisions17England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*) two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Ess
Corruption Perception Index56 indexā˜…71 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score56 index71 indexā˜…
Independence149no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and
LGBT Rights Index Score10.3410.98ā˜…
Prison Population Rate116 per 100,000ā˜…131.63 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception56ā˜…71
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.46 %99.82 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults27 kg/m²27.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %ā˜…89 %
Dentist Density6.5 per 10,000 peopleā˜…5.1 per 10,000 people
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)10.658.38ā˜…
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.7ā˜…7.4
Female Life Expectancy Leaders83.89 yearsā˜…81.39 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.2 per 1,000 birthsā˜…0.25 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita5,744.02 USD7,011.86 USDā˜…
Health Coverage Index Score84 score88 scoreā˜…
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.7 % of GDP11.3 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy83.89 yearsā˜…81.39 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density2.9 people/sq kmā˜…2.4 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.94 beds per 1,000ā˜…2.42 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.64 %6.83 %ā˜…
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)3 %ā˜…8 %
Mean Age at First Birth31.2ā˜…29
Nurses and Midwives Density6.41 per 1,000 people9.06 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.8 %ā˜…27.8 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending20.86 %14.63 %ā˜…
People Living With HIV/AIDS150,000NA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)6.68 %8.98 %ā˜…
Total Number of Doctors4.29ā˜…3.14
Underweight Children Under 5NANA

Military and Security

3 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Active Military Personnel124,000 personnel150,000 personnelā˜…
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.13 %ā˜…2.35 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)199,000ā˜…153,000

People and Society

40 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Currently married (Percent)45.17 %46.59 %ā˜…
Human Capital Index0.750.79ā˜…
Life expectancy at birth86.94 yearsā˜…83.69 years
Median age of population46.35 yearsā˜…40.33 years
Population Change-54,840.6 persons377,688.2 personsā˜…
Population density95.5 per sq. kmā˜…288.63 per sq. km
Total population47.87M persons69.96M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.87ā˜…0.67
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-BCā˜…
Beer Consumption per Capita4.75 litersā˜…3.54 liters
Birth Rate (%)7.16 %10.76 %ā˜…
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate62.1 %76.1 %ā˜…
Crude Birth Rate6.5 per 1,000 people9.89 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Death Rate (%)9.98 %9.25 %ā˜…
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.6 % of GDP5.9 % of GDPā˜…
Female population of reproductive age9.98M persons15.28M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)106.62 %ā˜…93.5 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate39.23 %42.16 %ā˜…
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.3 male/femaleā˜…105.42 male/female
Human Development Index0.690.78ā˜…
Labor Force Participation Rate24.3935.36ā˜…
Learning-adjusted years of school10.9 years11.65 yearsā˜…
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population6.75 people9.65 peopleā˜…
Mean Male Height (cm)176.59177.49ā˜…
Mean Years of Schooling11.51 years12.9 yearsā˜…
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…16
Old-Age Dependency Ratio31.21 %30.33 %ā˜…
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization79.42 %86.48 %ā˜…
Physician Density4.29 people/sq kmā˜…3.3 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.12 %0.4 %ā˜…
Population living in slums0.04 %0.16 %ā˜…
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio13.13ā˜…15.13
Total deaths451,958.2 personsā˜…675,626.2 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)68.96 %75.07 %ā˜…
Total fertility rate1.24 per woman1.53 per womanā˜…
Total net-migration69,228.9 persons375,700.7 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate2.59 per live birthsā˜…4.03 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.28 %ā˜…0.39 %
Voting Age Population65.14 millionsā˜…61.83 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)3.11ā˜…2.25
Airports3651,057ā˜…
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel210618ā˜…
Heliports162ā˜…139

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø SpainšŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita106.66B USDā˜…84.55B USD

Frequently Asked Questions About Spain vs United Kingdom

Which has a larger population, Spain or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom has 46% more people than Spain (69.96 million vs 47.87 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Spain or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom's economy is 2.1 times the size of Spain's ($4.1 trillion vs $1.92 trillion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Spain or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $58,622 in United Kingdom vs $40,130 in Spain (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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