R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D in Spain

Spain: R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D was 377,862 Persons in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
377,862 Persons
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
5th
of 23 countries
All-time high
377,862 Persons
in 2019
All-time low
87,797 Persons
in 1988
Years of data
28
1988–2019

R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D in Spain, 1988–2019

100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1988200320191988: 87.8k Persons1989: 99.8k Persons1990: 108.5k Persons1991: 115.3k Persons1992: 119.4k Persons1993: 122.3k Persons1994: 134.6k Persons1995: 147.0k Persons1997: 155.1k Persons1999: 178.2k Persons2001: 209.0k Persons2002: 232.0k Persons2003: 250.0k Persons2005: 282.8k Persons2006: 309.9k Persons2007: 331.2k Persons2008: 352.6k Persons2009: 358.8k Persons2010: 360.2k Persons2011: 353.9k Persons2012: 342.9k Persons2013: 333.1k Persons2014: 332.9k Persons2015: 338.2k Persons2016: 341.8k Persons2017: 354.3k Persons2018: 369.3k Persons2019: 377.9k Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

In 2019, r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d in Spain stood at 377,862 Persons. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d in Spain peaked at 377,862 Persons in 2019 and was at its lowest, 87,797 Persons, in 1988.

That places Spain 5th out of 23 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D in Spain, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Spain, 1988 to 2019.
Year Persons Change
1988 87,797 Persons
1989 99,819 Persons +13.7%
1990 108,546 Persons +8.7%
1991 115,274 Persons +6.2%
1992 119,440 Persons +3.6%
1993 122,275 Persons +2.4%
1994 134,587 Persons +10.1%
1995 147,046 Persons +9.3%
1997 155,117 Persons +5.5%
1999 178,189 Persons +14.9%
2001 209,011 Persons +17.3%
2002 232,019 Persons +11.0%
2003 249,969 Persons +7.7%
2005 282,804 Persons +13.1%
2006 309,893 Persons +9.6%
2007 331,192 Persons +6.9%
2008 352,611 Persons +6.5%
2009 358,803 Persons +1.8%
2010 360,229 Persons +0.4%
2011 353,911 Persons -1.8%
2012 342,901 Persons -3.1%
2013 333,134 Persons -2.8%
2014 332,871 Persons -0.1%
2015 338,179 Persons +1.6%
2016 341,809 Persons +1.1%
2017 354,333 Persons +3.7%
2018 369,291 Persons +4.2%
2019 377,862 Persons +2.3%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 377,862 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 124,586 Persons, 3.0× the median. (20 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 377,862 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 124,586 Persons, 3.0× the median. (20 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 93,808 Persons 87,797 Persons 99,819 Persons 2
1990s 135,059 Persons 108,546 Persons 178,189 Persons 8
2000s 290,788 Persons 209,011 Persons 358,803 Persons 8
2010s 350,452 Persons 332,871 Persons 377,862 Persons 10

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 2 Russia 839,338 Persons compare
  2. 3 Italy 544,094 Persons compare
  3. 3 Poland 271,025 Persons compare
  4. 4 France 415,061 Persons compare
  5. 4 Netherlands 226,732 Persons compare
  6. 6 Taiwan 157,225 Persons compare
  7. 6 Slovenia 25,062 Persons compare
  8. 7 Belgium 148,062 Persons compare
  9. 7 Lithuania 24,699 Persons compare
  10. 8 Austria 147,072 Persons compare
  11. 8 Latvia 12,550 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 32 places →

More reference data data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d in Spain?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d in Spain was 377,862 Persons in 2019, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 377,862 Persons in 2019.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 87,797 Persons in 1988.
How does Spain rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d?
Spain ranks 5th out of 23 countries with data for 2019.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and major field of r&d — r&d rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-major-field-of-r-and-d-r-and-d-personnel/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and major field of R&D — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
32 places, 610 data points, 1981–2023
Last refreshed

This table contains research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in both headcounts and full-time equivalent on R&D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by field of research (natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agricultural and veterinary sciences, social sciences, and humanities and the arts).