Foreign trade

🚢 Foreign trade

What Spain sells to the rest of the world (exports) and what it buys abroad (imports), of both goods and services: spending by foreign tourists counts as an export. It is measured as a share of GDP, so that it does not grow merely because of inflation or the size of the economy.

Exports of goods and services: Spain 36.6 EU 49.6OECD 28.3France 33.4Portugal 43.7Germany 40.4Italy 32.2Morocco 42US 11 (2024)China 21.1 Netherlands 80.7 % of GDP · 2025 · World Bank (WDI) All countries →

Share of GDP

Exports rose from 21.9% of GDP in 1995 to 36.5% in 2025. The big leap came after the 2008 crisis: from 23% in 2009 to 33% in 2013, while domestic demand was falling.

External balance

In 2007 Spain bought far more abroad than it sold: the deficit reached 5.8% of GDP. Since 2011 the balance has been positive every year.

Real change per inhabitant

Exports and imports in constant 2025 euros per inhabitant, at an annual rate (the quarter multiplied by four): this shows how much trade is really growing, stripping out inflation and population growth.

Source: Eurostat, namq_10_gdp: exports (P6) and imports (P7) of goods and services from the quarterly national accounts, seasonally adjusted. Shares of GDP at current prices.