Based on the average exchange rate for 2021, Spain uses the euro which appreciated by 5% against the US dollar since 2017 and strengthened by 3.9% from 2020 to 2021. The stronger European Union currency in 2021 made Spain’s imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive than when converted starting from the appreciated euros.
Spanish imports represent approximately 2.4% of total global imports which totaled an estimated $17.706 trillion one year prior in 2020.
By value, the 5 biggest products imported into Spain were crude oil, automobile parts or accessories, cars, medication mixes in dosage, and blood fractions including antisera. Combined, that quintet of most valuable Spanish imported goods represent about a fifth (20.1%) of Spain’s total imports in 2021.
Applying a continental lens, 62.4% of Spain’s total imports by value in 2021 were purchased from fellow European countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 20% of import purchases by Spain while 7.8% worth originated from providers in Africa.
Smaller percentages were furnished by sellers in North America (5.9%), Latin America (3.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Spain ‘s population of 46.5 million people, its total $418.2 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $8,900 in yearly product demand from every person in the European country. That per-capita dollar amount eclipses the average $7,000 one year earlier in 2020.
Spain’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Spain’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Spain.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$54.9 billion (13.1% of total imports)
- Vehicles: $40.3 billion (9.6%)
- Machinery including computers: $39 billion (9.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $35.8 billion (8.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $24.8 billion (5.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $16.5 billion (3.9%)
- Organic chemicals: $14.3 billion (3.4%)
- Iron, steel: $13.5 billion (3.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $10.4 billion (2.5%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $9.9 billion (2.4%)
Spain’s top 10 imports accounted for 62% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Mineral fuels including oil posted the fastest increase in purchases among the top 10 import categories, up 77.6% from 2020 to 2021. In second place for improving import sales was the iron and steel category, up 71%. Spanish imports of pharmaceuticals racked up the third-fastest gain via its 46.2% acceleration, ahead of imported plastics including as materials and items made from plastic (up 38.9%) and organic chemicals (up 25.8%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Spain’s Imports of Mineral Fuels and Related Products
In 2021, Spanish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Crude oil: US$29.5 billion (up 61.9% from 2020)
- Petroleum gases: $11.2 billion (up 95.7%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $8.8 billion (up 84.3%)
- Electrical energy: $2.8 billion (up 279.8%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $810.1 million (up 138.9%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $591.8 million (up 41.8%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $487.4 million (up 56.1%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $205.1 million (down -18.5%)
- Distilled tar: $129.4 million (2020 data unavailable)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $101 million (up 72.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Spanish purchases of electrical energy (up 279.8%), coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 138.9%) then petroleum gases (up 95.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imports related to mineral fuels among Spanish businesses and consumers.
Spain’s Imports of Vehicles
In 2021, Spanish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Automobile parts/accessories: US$16.2 billion (up 11.1% from 2020)
- Cars: $15.3 billion (up 10.8%)
- Trucks: $2 billion (up 11.2%)
- Tractors: $1.4 billion (up 27%)
- Motorcycles: $1.2 billion (up 27.8%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $778 million (up 44.5%)
- Trailers: $546.8 million (up 38.9%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $488.3 million (down -1.3%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $297.7 million (up 23.5%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $240.1 million (up 53.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Spanish purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 38.4%), motorcycle parts or accessories (up 11.7%) then motorcycles (up 4.9%) grew from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Spanish businesses and consumers.
Spain’s Imports of Machinery Including Computers
In 2021, Spanish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$4.6 billion (up 5.8% from 2020)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $2.1 billion (up 11.6%)
- Turbo-jets: $1.8 billion (up 51.6%)
- Piston engines: $1.8 billion (down -7.4%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.7 billion (up 24.9%)
- Engines (diesel): $1.5 billion (down -1.5%)
- Air conditioners: $1.5 billion (up 18.5%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $1.5 billion (up 17.2%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $1.3 billion (up 32.8%)
- Piston engine parts: $1.2 billion (up 21.8%)
Among these import subcategories, Spanish purchases of turbo-jets (up 51.6%), refrigerators and freezers (up 32.8%) then taps, valves and similar appliances (up 24.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Spanish businesses and consumers.
Spain’s Imports of Electronics
In 2021, Spanish importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$7.1 billion (up 12.3% from 2020)
- Insulated wire/cable: $3 billion (up 4.6%)
- Electric storage batteries: $2.2 billion (up 42.2%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $2.1 billion (up 22.2%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $2.1 billion (up 40.7%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $2 billion (up 18%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $2 billion (up 53.4%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $1.7 billion (up 30.1%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1.1 billion (up 12.2%)
- Electric motors, generators: $1 billion (up 22.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Spanish purchases of solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 53.4%), electric storage batteries (up 42.2%) then electrical converters and power units (up 40.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Spanish businesses and consumers.
See also Spain’s Top 10 Exports, Spain’s Top Trading Partners and Top EU Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 16, 2022
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 16, 2022
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on March 16, 2022
