Updated
Overview
Spain has 8.8 times the population of Norway: 49.36 million people against 5.61 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 3.6 times the size of Norway's, at $1.91T versus $530.76B.
Per person, Norway is the wealthier of the two: $94,594 against $38,627 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Norway | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $530.76B | 2025 | $1.72T / $483.73B |
| GDP per capita | $38,627 | Higher: $94,594 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.8% | 1.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.7% | 3.1% | 2025 | 2.8% / 3.1% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 91 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $3,574 | Higher: $6,440 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,561 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $8.05 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 5.61 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 5.51 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 39.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 83.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 84% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 96% | Higher: 99% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 323,802 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 17.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 220 Mt | Lower: 37 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.6 t | 6.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $10.44B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 25,000 | 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
Spain is growing faster: 2.8% annual GDP growth versus 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 3.1% in Norway.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Spain: a price level of 65 versus 91 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Norway: $6,440 against $3,574 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Norway is the younger society: median age 39.8 versus 45.9 years.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 56% larger than Norway: 505,992 km² versus 323,802 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Spain is far more densely settled: 98 people per km² against 17.
Military
Spain spends 2.4 times as much on defence as Norway: $24.62B versus $10.44B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 25,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Norway?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Norway covers 323,802 km², so Spain is 56% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Norway?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 5.61 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Norway?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Norway is richer: $94,594 against $38,627. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.91T for Spain versus $530.76B for Norway.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Norway?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $10.44B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).