R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel in Spain

Spain: R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel was 431,848 Persons in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
431,848 Persons
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
4th
of 17 countries
All-time high
431,848 Persons
in 2023
All-time low
87,797 Persons
in 1988
Years of data
33
1988–2023

R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel in Spain, 1988–2023

100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1988200520231988: 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 Persons2004: 267.9k 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 Persons2020: 378.3k Persons2021: 398.7k Persons2022: 419.6k Persons2023: 431.8k Persons

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel in Spain is 431,848 Persons, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel in Spain peaked at 431,848 Persons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 87,797 Persons, in 1988.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel in Spain, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Spain, 1988 to 2023.
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%
2004 267,943 Persons +7.2%
2005 282,804 Persons +5.5%
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%
2020 378,296 Persons +0.1%
2021 398,661 Persons +5.4%
2022 419,649 Persons +5.3%
2023 431,848 Persons +2.9%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 431,848 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 149,651 Persons, 2.9× the median. (17 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 431,848 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 149,651 Persons, 2.9× the median. (17 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 288,249 Persons 209,011 Persons 358,803 Persons 9
2010s 350,452 Persons 332,871 Persons 377,862 Persons 10
2020s 407,114 Persons 378,296 Persons 431,848 Persons 4

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 1 Germany 1.17 million Persons compare
  2. 2 France 678,466 Persons compare
  3. 2 United Kingdom 739,816 Persons compare
  4. 3 Italy 518,829 Persons compare
  5. 3 Poland 326,075 Persons compare
  6. 4 Netherlands 195,127 Persons compare
  7. 5 Belgium 164,518 Persons compare
  8. 6 Portugal 163,630 Persons compare
  9. 6 Croatia 28,059 Persons compare
  10. 7 Sweden 161,897 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 224 places →

More reference data data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel in Spain?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel in Spain was 431,848 Persons in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 431,848 Persons in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel 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 region — r&d personnel?
Spain ranks 4th out of 17 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and region — r&d personnel rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. 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 region — 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 region — R&D Personnel in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-region-r-and-d-personnel-total-economy/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
224 places, 4,038 data points, 1982–2024
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 large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2). Definition of regions: Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). TL2 regions are used in this dataset. See the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table (xls) and the OECD Territorial grid (pdf).