Spain and United States
The relationship combines defence cooperation, trade and business ties with significant political disagreements. In 2026, the use of Spanish bases for operations related to Iran became a point of friction; that dispute must not be confused with the disappearance of the entire bilateral framework.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Political friction
Spain rejected the use of Rota and Morón for operations linked to the war in Iran.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 47,921.2 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Goods: Spain to United States | 21,348.6 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Goods: United States to Spain | 26,572.6 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Services trade | 28,270 M EURprovisional | 2025 · Eurostat |
| Export share: Spain to United States | 4.3 % | 2025 · Spanish trade |
| Export share: United States to Spain | 1.22 % | 2025 · Census |
| Investment stock: Spain in United States | 95,461 M USDBEA est. | 2025 · BEA |
| Investment stock: United States in Spain | 33,243 M USDBEA est. | 2025 · BEA |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods; full calendar year; nominal USD; US reporting. Directions follow the order in the title, not the reporting country's origin. Total calculated by adding both directions.
- Goods: Spain to United States
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods; full calendar year; nominal USD; US reporting. Directions follow the order in the title, not the reporting country's origin. Total calculated by adding both directions.
- Goods: United States to Spain
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods; full calendar year; nominal USD; US reporting. Directions follow the order in the title, not the reporting country's origin. Total calculated by adding both directions.
- Services trade
- 2025 · Eurostat / national statistical agency · Service exports and imports under BPM6, Spanish reporting. Credits 20144 + debits 8126 M EUR. Not the balance or sales by local subsidiaries. Source flags: p, p.
- Export share: Spain to United States
- 2025 · Spain's State Secretariat for Trade / Customs · Published share, rounded to one decimal place, of Spanish goods exports for January–December 2025. Spanish reporting. This is not the partner's share of imports. Its year may differ from other trade rows.
- Export share: United States to Spain
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Calculated share: U.S. exports to the partner (goods row in this table) / U.S. goods exports to the world. Same Census reporting, year 2025 and millions of USD, not seasonally adjusted. Excludes services.
- Investment stock: Spain in United States
- 2025 · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · Year-end position at historical cost and by immediate counterparty; BEA estimate. Not market value, ultimate owner or an annual flow. · Position!G22
- Investment stock: United States in Spain
- 2025 · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · Year-end position at historical cost and by immediate counterparty; BEA estimate. Not market value, ultimate owner or an annual flow. · Position!G29
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Year-on-year inflation: different periods or frequencies; the two figures are not directly comparable.
| Indicator | Spain | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 1.91 trillion USD2025 · WB | 30.77 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 38,627.25 USD2025 · WB | 90,026.52 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.82 %2025 · WB | 2.16 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | 3.75–4 %2026-09-16 · Fed |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.7 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 2.7 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.9 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · INE | 3.4 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · BLS |
| Unemployment | 10.38 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 4.2 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -6.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 100.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 123.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 2.94 %2025 · WB | -3.63 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 49,355,1432025 · WB | 341,784,8572025 · WB |
| Area | 505,976 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 9,831,510 km²2023 · BM / FAO |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDSpain: 2025 · World BankUnited States: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personSpain: 2025 · World BankUnited States: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Spain: 2025 · World BankUnited States: 2025 · World Bank
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Spain: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central BankUnited States: 2026-09-16 · Federal funds target range · Federal Reserve
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Spain: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankUnited States: 2025 · Average annual change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedSpain: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) · Published: 2026-09-29 · provisional · Provisional · Advance indicator of headline CPI; final results pending. Not HICP (5.0%) or core inflation (3.1%). Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.United States: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Published: 2026-09-11 · Headline year-on-year CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted; not monthly or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionSpain: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.United States: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Spain: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Spain: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPSpain: 2025 · World BankUnited States: 2025 · World Bank
- Population
- PeopleSpain: 2025 · World BankUnited States: 2025 · World Bank
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceSpain: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOUnited States: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAO
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
Ships authorised at Rota
6Agreement of 8 May 2023
Authorisation for permanent stationing, not a count of ships present each day. [1]
Spain's position on the bases
31 March 20262026
Official statement by the Minister of Defence; not a new amendment to the agreement. [2]
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Spain to United States
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
United States to Spain
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Spain to United States | United States to Spain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35,401.2 | 18,565.9 | 16,835.3 |
| 2022 | 49,845.4 | 22,981.8 | 26,863.6 |
| 2023 | 48,385.5 | 23,111.9 | 25,273.6 |
| 2024 | 45,912.2 | 21,243.1 | 24,669.1 |
| 2025 | 47,921.2 | 21,348.6 | 26,572.6 |
Connections between people
The authorised military presence and economic ties do not amount to a count of the entire resident community or of visitors. [1] [3]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
Travel figures retain each source's coverage. Check the definitions and periods before comparing the two directions.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Spain living in United StatesSpanish nationality; PERE consular register | 236,394 | 1 January 2026 · INE / PERE |
| Residents from United States living in SpainNationality; census of residents in Spain | 57,379 | 1 January 2025 · INE / Census |
| Study and training: Spain in United StatesStudy in the US; includes OPT | 9,229 | 2024/25 · Open Doors |
| Study and training: United States in SpainInternational students; tertiary education (levels 5–8) | 2,151 | Academic year ending in 2024 · Eurostat |
| Academic stays: Spain in United States | ||
| Academic stays: United States in SpainStudy stays for academic credit | 36,826 | 2023/24 · Open Doors |
| Travel: Spain to United StatesCountry of residence; visits of one or more nights | 910,525arrivalsprovisional | 2025 · NTTO |
| Travel: United States to SpainCountry of residence; with an overnight stay | 4,456,665arrivalsestimate | 2025 · INE / FRONTUR |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
- Residents from Spain living in United States
- Includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Does not measure emigration during the year or people born in Spain. 1 January 2026 · INE / PERE
- Residents from United States living in Spain
- Counts the nationality recorded in the census, not birthplace. Does not represent the entire diaspora or new arrivals during the year. 1 January 2025 · INE / Census
- Study and training: Spain in United States
- International students in the US; includes OPT placements. Not equivalent to US academic stays abroad. 2024/25 · Open Doors
- Study and training: United States in Spain
- Enrolment of internationally mobile students, classified by country of origin under the reporting country's UOE definition. Not a general passport-based count; excludes short-term credit mobility. Does not include OPT. Source flag: no flag. Academic year ending in 2024 · Eurostat
- Academic stays: United States in Spain
- US students who received academic credit for study in the destination; an earlier period than that for international students. 2023/24 · Open Doors
- Travel: Spain to United States
- NTTO Annual!AC213. Arrivals, not distinct people; visas and entry categories covered by the I-94 programme. Mexico incorporates the INEGI estimate. Data subject to revision, especially Canada and Mexico; the air-only row is not used. 2025 · NTTO
- Travel: United States to Spain
- Arrivals in Spain by tourists residing in the stated country, with an overnight stay. Not unique visitors, nationality or all border crossings. 2025 · INE / FRONTUR
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
What cooperation at Rota regulates
The agreement published in the BOE in 2023 authorised two additional AEGIS ships at Rota, bringing the number authorised for permanent stationing to six. It retained the conditions of the previous framework and the total permanent personnel limit. The authorisation is a rule on deployment and use of facilities: it does not indicate how many ships are present on a particular day or by itself authorise any military operation. [1]
Two economies connected by trade and businesses
Goods trade is documented using Census Bureau statistics. In this profile, the first direction is Spain to the United States: it corresponds to US imports from Spain. The opposite direction corresponds to US exports. Identifying the reporter matters because valuation, the recording of origin and revisions can produce differences from Spanish statistics. Services and investment are separate dimensions. [3]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The disagreement over Iran in 2026
In her appearance on 31 March 2026, Spain's Minister of Defence explained that Spain had prohibited the use of Rota and Morón for operations linked to the war in Iran. The description of that war as illegal and unjustified is the Spanish Government's position and is attributed as such. The minister also stated that the decision did not mean abandoning the transatlantic relationship or collective defence. [2]
The European dimension of trade rules
Trade relations between the United States and European Union members include decisions taken at EU level. In May 2026, the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement on rules to implement tariff elements of the 2025 joint statement. That document describes a legislative stage; it does not by itself establish the effective tariff on any Spanish product. The rules and exceptions applicable to each good must be consulted. [4]
A dispute does not amount to an overall break
Reading the deployment agreement alongside Spain's March statement distinguishes the lasting cooperation framework from a refusal to support a particular operation. The profile separates documented facts from the Spanish Government's positions. Deployment authorisations, decisions on an operation and statistical results have different scopes and periods. [1] [2]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Trade covers goods, in current USD and according to US reporting. The chart and table use the same query; Spain appears first, so Census flows are correctly reversed. Government positions are distinguished from judicial determinations and statistical facts.
- Agreement on two additional ships at Rota
BOE / Governments of Spain and the United States · Institutional source · Document: 2023-06-15 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Defence appearance before the National Security Committee
La Moncloa / Ministry of Defence · Institutional source · Document: 2026-03-31 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- U.S. trade in goods with Spain
U.S. Census Bureau · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Provisional agreement to implement EU–US trade elements
Council of the European Union · Institutional source · Document: 2026-05-20 · Accessed: 2026-10-07