📜 A long story
Spain, 1800 → today
Spain grew from 11.5 million in 1800 to 47.9 million; a newborn can expect 54.2 more years of life than in 1882, and output per person is 26× its 1800 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 11.5 million people lived in Spain.
1900
18.6 million people.
1.6× the 1800 level
1950
28.1 million people.
1.5× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1929.
2023
47.9 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.7× the 1950 level
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1882
In 1882, a newborn in Spain could expect to live 29.5 years, on average.
1950
61.8 years.
+32 years since 1882
Passed 40 years in 1908 (no data between 1900 and 1908, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 50 years in 1932.
Passed 60 years in 1948.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 14 years between 1916 and 1918 (43.9 years → 30.4 years).
2023
83.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+22 years since 1950
Passed 70 years in 1964.
Passed 80 years in 2004.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1800
In 1800, Spain produced about Int$1,320 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$2,670.
2× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1892.
1950
Int$3,460.
1.3× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 36% between 1929 and 1937 (Int$4,170 → Int$2,650).
2022
Int$34,100, the latest year in this series.
9.9× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1963.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1977.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 2000.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1830
In 1830, fossil fuels and industry in Spain emitted about 0.00028 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.6 t.
2,146× the 1830 level
Reached twice the 1830 level, reached 5 times the 1830 level in 1836.
Reached 10 times the 1830 level in 1839.
Reached 20 times the 1830 level in 1841.
Reached 50 times the 1830 level in 1844.
1950
1.2 t.
2× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 80% between 1929 and 1937 (1 t → 0.2 t).
2024
4.6 t, the latest year in this series.
3.9× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Spain had spent 1.6 years in school, on average.
1900
3.3 years.
+1.6 years since 1870
Passed 2 years in 1880.
1950
3.8 years.
+0.56 years since 1900
2015
11.2 years, the latest year in this series.
+7.4 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1955.
Passed 6 years in 1975.
Passed 8 years in 1995.
Passed 10 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).