What is antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain?

Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain was 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Spain?

The highest recorded value was 17.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2016.

What is the lowest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Spain?

The lowest recorded value was 12.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2020.

How does Spain rank for antibiotic usage by surveillance category?

Spain ranks 9th out of 46 countries with data for 2023.

Is antibiotic usage by surveillance category rising or falling in Spain?

Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Spain data come from?

The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic usage by surveillance category. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain

Name: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain
Creator: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Spain: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category was 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day

Change on year

up 7.1%

World rank

9th

of 46 countries

All-time high

17.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day

in 2016

All-time low

12.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day

in 2020

Years of data

2016–2023

Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain, 2016–2023

Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day.

Analysis

In 2023, antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain stood at 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day.

That represents a change of up 7.1% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.

That places Spain 9th out of 46 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain, 2016 to 2023.
Year	defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	Change
2016	17.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	—
2017	17.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	-2.6%
2018	16.74 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	-2.2%
2019	16.09 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	-3.9%
2020	12.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	-21.7%
2021	12.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	+2.2%
2022	14.7 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	+14.2%
2023	15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	+7.1%

Spain compared with similar countries

Spain's 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is above the median for high income countries, which is 12.57 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 1.3× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Spain's 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.36 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
2010s	16.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	16.09 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	17.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	4
2020s	13.98 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	12.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day	4

Countries ranked near Spain

6 Ireland 17.17 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
7 Montenegro 17.09 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
8 Colombia 16.31 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
10 Burkina Faso 15.61 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
11 Iceland 15.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
12 Laos 15.33 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More reference data data for Spain

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.18 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.85 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.76 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.898 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.76 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.67 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.03 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.06 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 52.4 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.89 (2050)

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain?: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain was 15.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Spain?: The highest recorded value was 17.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2016.
What is the lowest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Spain?: The lowest recorded value was 12.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2020.
How does Spain rank for antibiotic usage by surveillance category?: Spain ranks 9th out of 46 countries with data for 2023.
Is antibiotic usage by surveillance category rising or falling in Spain?: Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Spain data come from?: The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic usage by surveillance category. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/antibiotic-usage-by-surveillance-category-stacked/spain/

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About this data

Indicator: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category
Unit: defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 46 places, 344 data points, 2016–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Total defined daily doses of AWaRe category: Access used per 1000 inhabitants per day. Access antibiotics have activity against a wide range of common pathogens and show lower resistance potential than antibiotics in the other groups.