Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain
Spain: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 1.5% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain, 1980–2021
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Spain recorded 1.5% for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain peaked at 1.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1989.
That places Spain 33rd out of 41 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5% | — |
| 1981 | 0.4% | -14.6% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -12.9% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -10.6% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -13.9% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -17.3% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | -16.1% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -8.5% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -7.4% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | +108.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | +32.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +5.4% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | +16.8% |
| 1997 | 0.5% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | +76.5% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +12.1% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 0.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +17.3% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 1.5% | +19.0% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 30 South Korea 1.7% compare
- 31 Netherlands 1.6% compare
- 32 Canada 1.6% compare
- 34 Italy 1.4% compare
- 35 Ireland 1.3% compare
- 36 Costa Rica 1.3% compare
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Spain was 1.5% in 2021, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1989.
- How does Spain rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Spain ranks 33rd out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.