Updated
Overview
Spain has 4.6 times the population of Portugal: 49.36 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 5.5 times the size of Portugal's, at $1.91T versus $346.64B.
Per person, Spain is the wealthier of the two: $38,627 against $32,082 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $346.64B | 2025 | $1.72T / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $38,627 | $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 2.8% | 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.7% | Lower: 2.3% | 2025 | 2.8% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,574 | $1,426 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,561 | $1,147 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 220 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 4.6 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 52,000 | 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 1.9%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 2.3% in Portugal.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $1,426 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 45.9 (Spain) and 46.9 (Portugal).
Life expectancy is 1.5 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 82.4).
Spain is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 5.5 times the size of Portugal: 505,992 km² versus 92,090 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Spain spends 5.3 times as much on defence as Portugal: $24.62B versus $4.64B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Portugal?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Spain is 5.5 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Portugal?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $32,082. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.91T for Spain versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Portugal?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $4.64B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).