Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain
Spain: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 10.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain, 1969–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain is 10.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 7.4% on the previous year and down 52.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain peaked at 26.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1970.
That places Spain 28th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1.3% | — |
| 1970 | 1.1% | -15.4% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | +36.4% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | +66.7% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | +24.0% |
| 1975 | 5.0% | +61.3% |
| 1976 | 4.9% | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 5.2% | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 7.0% | +34.1% |
| 1979 | 8.6% | +23.5% |
| 1980 | 11.4% | +32.4% |
| 1981 | 14.2% | +24.3% |
| 1982 | 16.0% | +13.0% |
| 1983 | 17.5% | +9.2% |
| 1984 | 20.2% | +15.8% |
| 1985 | 21.6% | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 21.3% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 20.6% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 19.9% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 17.3% | -12.7% |
| 1990 | 16.3% | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 15.9% | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 17.7% | +11.1% |
| 1993 | 22.2% | +25.2% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 22.7% | -6.3% |
| 1996 | 22.1% | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 20.7% | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 18.7% | -9.8% |
| 1999 | 15.5% | -17.1% |
| 2000 | 13.8% | -10.9% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | -24.9% |
| 2002 | 11.1% | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 11.1% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | -17.5% |
| 2006 | 8.5% | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 11.3% | +36.7% |
| 2009 | 17.9% | +58.7% |
| 2010 | 19.9% | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 21.4% | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | +15.9% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 22.1% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 19.6% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 17.2% | -12.3% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 14.1% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 15.5% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 14.9% | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 13.0% | -12.6% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -6.9% |
| 2025 | 10.5% | -7.4% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 10.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 2.1× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Spain's 10.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1970s | 4.0% | 1.1% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.0% | 11.4% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.6% | 15.5% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.3% | 8.2% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 14.1% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.9% | 10.5% | 15.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Spain was 10.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 26.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1970.
- How does Spain rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- Spain ranks 28th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 57 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.