That dollar amount results from a 35.9% advance from $312.1 billion five years earlier during 2020.
Year over year, the overall value of Spanish exports flatlined via a 1% gain compared to $420.2 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, Spain uses the euro which flatlined via a 0.02% gain against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. The slightly stronger European Union currency made France’s exports paid for in weaker US dollars modestly more expensive for international buyers.
Spain is located on western Europe’s Iberian Peninsula and bordered by Portugal to its northwest, France and Andorra to its northeast and whose southern region features Europe’s only shared border with an African nation namely Morocco.
Spain’s 5 most valuable exported products are cars, processed petroleum oils, medication mixes in dosage, automobile parts or accessories, then trucks. Collectively, that leading quintet of Spanish exports accounted for over a fifth (22.2%) of the overall value of exports from Spain in 2024.
Spain’s Best International Trade Customers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 70.4% of products exported by Spain was bought by importers in: France (15.1% of the Spanish total), Germany (10.3%), Italy (8.8%), Portugal (8.7%), United Kingdom (6.4%), United States of America (4.6%), Netherlands (3.31%), Morocco (3.28%), Belgium (3.21%), Poland (2.5%), Türkiye (2.3%) and China (1.9%).
From a continental perspective, 72.7% of Spain’s exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 10.3% was sold to Asian importers. Spain shipped another 6.9% worth of goods to buyers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Africa (5.5%), Latin America (3.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean then Oceania (0.7%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Note that 63.1% of Spanish exports were bought by fellow members of the European Union, down from 70.5% for the prior year.
Given Spain’s population of 48.4 million people, its total $424.3 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $8,750 for every resident in the west European nation. That per-capita dollar amount lags the average $8,850 for 2023.
Spain’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Spanish global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Spain.
- Vehicles: US$63.8 billion (15% of total exports)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $31.6 billion (7.4%)
- Machinery including computers: $30.9 billion (7.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $23.5 billion (5.5%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $19.2 billion (4.5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $14.9 billion (3.5%)
- Fruits, nuts: $12.1 billion (2.9%)
- Meat: $11.3 billion (2.7%)
- Vegetables: $10.2 billion (2.4%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $10.1 billion (2.4%)
Spain’s top 10 export product categories generated over half (53.7%) of the overall value of Spanish shipments.
Fruits and nuts represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 14.2% since 2023.
In second place for improving export sales was mineral fuels including oil via a 12.9% advance.
Spain’s shipments of vegetables posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 9.5%.
The leading decliner among Spain’s top 10 export categories was pharmaceuticals which fell -12% year over year.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section below.
Searchable List of Spain’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, the following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Spain during 2024.
Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2023. An entry of 0% means 2023 data was unavailable.
| Rank | Export Product | Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $40,763,730,000 | +0.4% |
| 2 | Processed petroleum oils | $17,575,500,000 | -4.7% |
| 3 | Medication mixes in dosage | $13,197,309,000 | +3.8% |
| 4 | Automobile parts/accessories | $11,890,983,000 | -0.9% |
| 5 | Olive oil | $6,669,014,000 | +53.6% |
| 6 | Swine meat | $6,603,210,000 | -2.4% |
| 7 | Trucks | $5,785,100,000 | -22.7% |
| 8 | Perfumes, toilet waters | $4,797,279,000 | +49.2% |
| 9 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $4,081,366,000 | -44.8% |
| 10 | Fresh or dried citrus fruit | $3,807,793,000 | -0.4% |
| 11 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $3,806,630,000 | +51.6% |
| 12 | Unglazed ceramic paying, tiles, cubes | $3,767,077,000 | -1.9% |
| 13 | Rubber tires (new) | $3,703,852,000 | +2.9% |
| 14 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $3,682,305,000 | +3.5% |
| 15 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $3,323,325,000 | +9.9% |
| 16 | Wine | $3,300,933,000 | +3.8% |
| 17 | Gold (unwrought) | $3,298,107,000 | +10.8% |
| 18 | Insulated wire/cable | $3,197,874,000 | +8.9% |
| 19 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $3,135,144,000 | -17.7% |
| 20 | Aircraft or spacecraft parts | $3,087,486,000 | +38.2% |
| 21 | Turbo-jets | $2,865,888,000 | +11.2% |
| 22 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $2,753,095,000 | -9.4% |
| 23 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $2,595,937,000 | +113.7% |
| 24 | Electrical converters/power units | $2,538,773,000 | +1.8% |
| 25 | Miscellaneous fruits (fresh) | $2,534,328,000 | +17% |
| 26 | Electrical energy | $2,324,220,000 | -26.6% |
| 27 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $2,235,129,000 | +10.7% |
| 28 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2,065,979,000 | +16.8% |
| 29 | Miscellaneous furniture | $1,996,599,000 | +4.4% |
| 30 | Phone devices including smartphones | $1,996,148,000 | +23.1% |
| 31 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $1,992,295,000 | +9.6% |
| 32 | Biodiesel | $1,977,742,000 | -34.4% |
| 33 | Crude oil | $1,945,820,000 | +30.3% |
| 34 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $1,885,488,000 | +6.2% |
| 35 | Ethylene polymers | $1,878,410,000 | -0.8% |
| 36 | Tractors | $1,862,920,000 | -22.7% |
| 37 | Iron or non-alloy steel angles, shapes, sections | $1,826,809,000 | -2% |
| 38 | Footwear (leather) | $1,821,418,000 | +9% |
| 39 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $1,807,795,000 | +10.6% |
| 40 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $1,807,125,000 | +8.7% |
| 41 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $1,785,678,000 | -3.6% |
| 42 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $1,771,963,000 | +1.9% |
| 43 | Piston engines | $1,715,529,000 | -5.1% |
| 44 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (non-frozen) | $1,688,755,000 | +19.9% |
| 45 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $1,640,624,000 | -5.6% |
| 46 | Aluminum bars/rods | $1,615,869,000 | +5.5% |
| 47 | Apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums | $1,598,019,000 | +14.3% |
| 48 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $1,588,296,000 | +1.4% |
| 49 | Copper wire | $1,564,437,000 | +10.1% |
| 50 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $1,468,383,000 | +2.8% |
| 51 | Other food preparations | $1,466,106,000 | -0.8% |
| 52 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $1,453,827,000 | +12.3% |
| 53 | Miscellaneous heterocyclics | $1,450,610,000 | +441.1% |
| 54 | Electric storage batteries | $1,425,160,000 | +1.7% |
| 55 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $1,360,143,000 | +13.5% |
| 56 | Petroleum gases | $1,346,944,000 | -22.8% |
| 57 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $1,345,520,000 | +10.7% |
| 58 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $1,328,483,000 | +21.5% |
| 59 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1,315,192,000 | +2.1% |
| 60 | Moluscs | $1,299,605,000 | +2.8% |
| 61 | Fresh or chilled beef | $1,275,974,000 | +18.8% |
| 62 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $1,245,323,000 | +7.7% |
| 63 | Fish, caviar (preserved/prepared) | $1,234,747,000 | +6.7% |
| 64 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $1,232,295,000 | +20% |
| 65 | Machinery parts | $1,195,163,000 | +2.6% |
| 66 | Zinc (unwrought) | $1,193,462,000 | +2.4% |
| 67 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $1,192,611,000 | +11.3% |
| 68 | Tomatoes | $1,186,431,000 | +0.5% |
| 69 | Lifting/loading machinery | $1,185,349,000 | +5.5% |
| 70 | Lettuce | $1,179,673,000 | +50.8% |
| 71 | Temperature-change machines | $1,179,448,000 | +15.7% |
| 72 | Cucumbers | $1,133,054,000 | +5.3% |
| 73 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1,125,307,000 | -13.6% |
| 74 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $1,094,280,000 | +11.4% |
| 75 | Lettuce | $1,090,259,000 | +0.6% |
| 76 | Miscellaneous machinery | $1,073,166,000 | +10.3% |
| 77 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1,072,506,000 | +22.3% |
| 78 | Cucumbers | $1,057,673,000 | +0.1% |
| 79 | Sugar confectionery (no cocoa) | $1,025,403,000 | +3.1% |
| 80 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $1,011,892,000 | +6.4% |
| 81 | Computers, optical readers | $1,008,842,000 | +12.2% |
| 82 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $1,003,618,000 | +0.3% |
| 83 | Women's coats, jackets (not knit or crochet) | $993,424,000 | +8.3% |
| 84 | Copper waste, scrap | $986,294,000 | +38.2% |
| 85 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $981,136,000 | +5.2% |
| 86 | Melons, watermelons, papayas | $979,385,000 | +14.3% |
| 87 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $972,566,000 | +4.4% |
| 88 | Footwear (textile) | $962,266,000 | +6.4% |
| 89 | Cellulose fiber paper | $960,552,000 | +3.7% |
| 90 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $957,639,000 | +17.1% |
| 91 | Red meat offal | $955,010,000 | -2.3% |
| 92 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $951,793,000 | -2.8% |
| 93 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $942,751,000 | +1.2% |
| 94 | Fertilizer mixes | $936,160,000 | +12.7% |
| 95 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $933,560,000 | +8.2% |
| 96 | Frozen vegetables | $926,278,000 | +17.7% |
| 97 | Cheese, curd | $921,826,000 | +12.7% |
| 98 | Salted/dried/smoked meat | $920,772,000 | +11.3% |
| 99 | Medication mixes not in dosage | $918,429,000 | +16.1% |
| 100 | Air conditioners | $914,786,000 | -6.1% |
These 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$260.9 billion or over three-fifths (61.5%) by value for all products exported from Spain during 2024.
Spain’s Major Trade Surpluses by Product Category
The following types of Spanish product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Vehicles: US$12.4 billion (Down by -21% since 2023)
- Meat: $8.7 billion (Down by -2.4%)
- Vegetables: $7.5 billion (Up by 9.1%)
- Fruits, nuts: $7.1 billion (Up by 14.1%)
- Ceramic products: $3.9 billion (Down by -3%)
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $3.86 billion (Up by 47.1%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $3.54 billion (Up by 129.1%)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $3.48 billion (Up by 13.8%)
- Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $2.9 billion (Up by 19.1%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $2.88 billion (Down by -32.9%)
Spain has highly positive net exports particularly for cars and trucks. In turn, these cashflows indicate Spain’s strong competitive advantages under the vehicles product category.
Spain’s Major Trade Deficits by Product Category
Spain incurred an overall -US$47.7 billion trade deficit during 2024. That negative trade balance represents a -2.4% slowdown from the -$48.9 billion in red ink one year earlier for 2023.
Below are exports from Spain that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits during 2024. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Spain’s goods trail Spanish importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$31.8 billion (Down by -20.9% since 2023)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$19.1 billion (Down by -2.2%)
- Machinery including computers: -$14.1 billion (Up by 24.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$7.5 billion (Up by 4.8%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$4.58 billion (Up by 702.6%)
- Cereals: -$4.57 billion (Down by -28.8%)
- Iron, steel: -$3.8 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$3.7 billion (Up by 8%)
- Fish: -$3.66 billion (Up by 15%)
- Ores, slag, ash: -$3.3 billion (Up by 5.6%)
Historically, Spain has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for crude oil, petroleum gases and coal under the mineral fuels including oil category.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Spain’s competitive disadvantages in the international market for mineral fuels-related products, but also represent key opportunities for Spain to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations in cleaner alternative energy sources.
Spain’s Top Companies Involved in International Trade
Twenty-seven corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Spanish companies that Forbes included.
- Abertis (other transportation)
- Ferrovial (other transportation)
- Grifols (biotech products)
- Repsol YPF (oil, gas)
- Telefónica (telecommunications services)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following smaller companies are also examples of Spanish export companies.
- Mahou Sa (malt beer, wine, vodka)
- Nemak Spain (internal combustion engines, vehicle parts and accessories)
- Repsol (oil)
- Telefónica (telecommunications equipment)
In macroeconomic terms, Spain’s total exported goods represent 15.9% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($2.665 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 15.9% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2024 compares to 17.5% one year earlier. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Spain’s total economic performance, albeit based on a very short timeframe.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Spain’s unemployment rate averaged 11.619% for 2024, down from an average 12.185% for 2023 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
Spain’s capital city is Madrid.
See also Spain’s Top 10 Imports, Spain’s Top Trading Partners and Top Persimmons Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 13, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 13, 2025
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Spain Import Export Directory. Accessed on March 13, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 13, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 13, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 13, 2025
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on March 13, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Spain. Accessed on March 13, 2025
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on March 13, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on March 13, 2025
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on March 13, 2025