Side by side
Spain and the European Union
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Public spending on them: the European Union €19,707 against Spain €14,912, 32.2% apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
Spain
the European Union
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: Spain and the European Union
Which covers more ground: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 8.35×: the European Union 4,225,104, Spain 505,983. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 9.17×: the European Union 450.6m, Spain 49.1m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 79.0%: the European Union 507, Spain 284. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Where is unemployment higher: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 4.5 points: Spain 10.5%, the European Union 6.0%. Share of 15 to 74 year olds in the labour force who are without work and looking for it. Eurostat · Out of work · 2025. See the figure
Where is there more railway per 1,000 km²: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 51.8%: the European Union 49.1, Spain 32.3. Railway line in use for every 1,000 square kilometres of the country. Eurostat · Railway network & Railway density · 2024. See the figure
Which spends a larger share of its budget on defence: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 1.0 points: the European Union 3.0%, Spain 2.0%. Armed forces, defence equipment, military aid abroad, and defence research. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Which spends more on health per resident: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 39.8%: the European Union €2,959, Spain €2,117. Hospitals, doctors, medicines and medical equipment, and public health programmes. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where are more children born per woman: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 21.8%: the European Union 1.34, Spain 1.1. Children a woman would bear over her life at today’s age-specific birth rates. Eurostat · Children per woman & Age at first child · 2024. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 18.6%: Spain 50.3, the European Union 42.4. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: Spain or the European Union?
The gap is 0.2 points: the European Union 26.2%, Spain 26.0%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.