Updated
Overview
Spain has 4.9 times the population of Israel: 49.36 million people against 10.12 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 3.1 times the size of Israel's, at $1.91T versus $610.78B.
Per person, Israel is the wealthier of the two: $60,337 against $38,627 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Israel | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $610.78B | 2025 | $1.72T / $540.38B |
| GDP per capita | $38,627 | Higher: $60,337 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.8% | Higher: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.7% | 3.0% | 2025 | 2.8% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 101 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,574 | $3,383 | 2025 / 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,561 | Higher: $1,589 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $7.67 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 10.12 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 9.40 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 29.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 2.75 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 92% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 20,770 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 487.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 220 Mt | Lower: 53 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.6 t | 5.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $46.51B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 8.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 178,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Both economies are growing at a similar pace (2.8% for Spain, 2.9% for Israel).
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 3.0% in Israel.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Spain: a price level of 65 versus 101 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $3,383 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Israel is the far younger society: median age 29.2 versus 45.9 years.
Israel is considerably more urbanized: 92% of people live in cities, against 81%.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 24 times the size of Israel: 505,992 km² versus 20,770 km².
Israel is far more densely settled: 487 people per km² against 98.
Military
Israel spends about 90% more on defence than Spain: $46.51B versus $24.62B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Israel carries the heavier military burden: 8.8% of GDP versus 1.4%.
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 178,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Israel?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Israel covers 20,770 km², so Spain is 24 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Israel?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 10.12 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Israel?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Israel is richer: $60,337 against $38,627. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.91T for Spain versus $610.78B for Israel.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Israel?
- Israel spends more: $46.51B versus $24.62B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).