The fourth-most populated member of the European Union and Southern Europe’s biggest nation by land area, the Kingdom of Spain imported US$329.7 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -12.2% reduction from $375.5 billion in 2019.

Based on Gross Domestic Product per capita, Spain is the world’s number 40 wealthiest country.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Spain’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Mainland Spain shares land borders with France and Andorra to Spain’s north, Britain’s overseas territory of Gibraltar to its south, and Portugal to its west. In addition, Spain has coastlines along the Bay of Biscay to its north, the Mediterranean Sea to its east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to its west.

Information in this article is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Spanish imports during 2020 for each of Spain’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners generated almost three-fifths (58.9%) of total Spanish import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Spanish imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Spain’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Spain amounted to $39 billion or 11.8% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -12.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 80.3% of Spain’s imports from Germany.

Vehicles: $7.7 billion
Machinery: $6.5 billion
Electronic equipment: $3.7 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $2.9 billion
Plastics: $2.1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.8 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.13 billion
Iron and steel: $1.1 billion
Other chemical goods: $920.7 million
Iron or steel products: $707.3 million
Tobacco: $598 million
Paper: $565.5 million
Aluminum: $551.9 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $539 million
Rubber: $511.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from Germany under the aluminum product category via a 64% gain in revenue and pharmaceuticals (up 6.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -30.9%), tobacco (down -22.2%), tanning or dyeing extracts (down -19.6%), machinery (down -15.7%), items made from iron or steel (down -14.8%) and rubber (down -12.4%).

Spain’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Spain amounted to $33.5 billion or 10.2% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 2.7% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 82.8% of Spain’s imports from the mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $7.3 billion
Machinery: $5 billion
Other textiles, worn clothing: $2.5 billion
Toys, games: $1.7 billion
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $1.6 billion
Knit or crochet clothing: $1.4 billion
Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.34 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.32 billion
Plastics: $1.1 billion
Footwear: $1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $873.8 million
Vehicles: $694.8 million
Iron or steel products: $687.7 million
Leather, animal gut articles: $612.9 million
Other chemical goods: $485 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from China under the miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing product category via a 476.4% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 124.9%), medical or technical equipment (up 24.3%) and plastics as a material (up 23.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were items made from leather or animal gut (down -30.5%), footwear (down -20.8%), knitted or crocheted clothing (down -19.3%), toys and games (down -16.3%), items made from iron or steel (down -12%) and unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -11.6%).

Spain’s Main Imports from France

In 2020, France’s exports to Spain amounted to $32.6 billion or 9.9% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -12.9% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 70.6% of Spain’s imports from France.

Vehicles: $7.4 billion
Machinery: $2.3 billion
Electronic equipment: $2.2 billion
Plastics: $1.59 billion
Iron and steel: $1.56 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $1.3 billion
Perfumes, cosmetics: $1 billion
Organic chemicals: $919.2 million
Aircraft, spacecraft: $858.3 million
Cereals: $755.8 million
Medical, technical equipment: $673.1 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $660.6 million
Other chemical goods: $614.2 million
Gems, precious metals: $565.7 million
Paper: $548 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from France under the aircraft and spacecraft product category via a 39.6% gain in revenue then gems and precious metals (up 11.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -43.1%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -26.8%), vehicles (down -22.2%), iron and steel as materials (down -19.6%), machinery (down -17.4%) and paper (down -14.7%).

Spain’s Main Imports from Italy

In 2020, Italy’s exports to Spain amounted to $20.3 billion or 6.2% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -11.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 70.4% of Spain’s imports from Italy.

Machinery: $3.4 billion
Vehicles: $2 billion
Electronic equipment: $1.5 billion
Plastics: $1.3 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $1 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $892.8 million
Iron or steel products: $681.7 million
Iron and steel: $588.2 million
Other chemical goods: $491.6 million
Medical, technical equipment: $476 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $437.2 million
Paper: $427.9 million
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $417.2 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $339.1 million
Organic chemicals: $311.6 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from Italy under the miscellaneous chemical goods product category via a 18.4% gain in revenue and pharmaceuticals (up 13.3%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -35.6%), iron and steel as materials (down -35.1%), medical or technical equipment (down -21.2%), vehicles (down -20.5%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -19%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -18.5%).

Spain’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Spain amounted to $16.1 billion or 4.4% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -7.7% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 89.5% of Spain’s imports from America.

Pharmaceuticals: $3.4 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $2.9 billion
Machinery: $1.3 billion
Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.2 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.1 billion
Electronic equipment: $816.6 million
Vehicles: $762.2 million
Fruits, nuts: $731.8 million
Oil seed: $436.6 million
Ores, slag, ash: $384.9 million
Plastics: $380 million
Organic chemicals: $353.3 million
Other chemical goods: $341 million
Inorganic chemicals: $160.1 million
Food waste, animal fodder: $123.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from the United States under the electronic equipment product category via a 35.9% gain in revenue, vehicles (up 24.1%), inorganic chemicals (up 16.1%), food waste or animal fodder (up 14%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 12.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were ores, slag and ash (down -44.5%), oil seed (down -22.6%), organic chemicals (down -20.9%), machinery (down -17.8%), mineral fuels including oil (down -16.1%) then aircraft and spacecraft (down -15.3%).

Spain’s Main Imports from Netherlands

In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to Spain amounted to $14.4 billion or 4.4% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -7.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 72.6% of Spain’s imports from the Netherlands.

Machinery: $1.9 billion
Electronic equipment: $1.8 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $1.6 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $755.1 million
Plastics: $729.6 million
Organic chemicals: $604.1 million
Vehicles: $523.8 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $509.7 million
Iron and steel: $408.6 million
Other chemical goods: $405.1 million
Dairy, eggs, honey: $340.5 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $237.7 million
Beverages: $230.6 million
Oil seed: $229.1 million
Fish: $225.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from the Netherlands under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 13.4% gain in revenue, perfumes and cosmetics (up 13%) then fish (up 9.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -47.9%), beverages (down -27.9%), vehicles (down -21.8%), iron and steel as materials (down -20.5%), organic chemicals (down -14.2%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (down -10%).

Spain’s Main Imports from Portugal

In 2020, Portugal’s exports to Spain amounted to $12.3 billion or 3.7% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -4% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 66.5% of Spain’s imports from Portugal.

Vehicles: $1.5 billion
Machinery: $1 billion
Plastics: $848.6 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $622.7 million
Iron and steel: $570.1 million
Electronic equipment: $532.4 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $447.7 million
Paper: $431.2 million
Iron or steel products: $405.6 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $374.8 million
Fish: $322.9 million
Tobacco: $315.9 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $281.2 million
Fruits, nuts: $269.8 million
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $255.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from Portugal under the fruits and nuts product category via a 33.2% gain in revenue, knitted or crocheted clothing (up 32.3%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (up 29.6%), electronic equipment (up 28.1%) then unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (up 14.4%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -22.2%), fish (down -16.6%) and vehicles (down -16.2%).

Spain’s Main Imports from the UK

In 2020, the United Kingdom’s exports to Spain amounted to $10.7 billion or 3.2% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -19.1% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 76% of Spain’s imports from Britain.

Vehicles: $1.4 billion
Machinery: $1.3 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $914.5 million
Electronic equipment: $777.3 million
Pharmaceuticals: $760.8 million
Gems, precious metals: $410.6 million
Iron and steel: $375.7 million
Medical, technical equipment: $364 million
Plastics: $349.4 million
Inorganic chemicals: $299.7 million
Aluminum: $279.7 million
Organic chemicals: $233.9 million
Other chemical goods: $231 million
Perfumes, cosmetics: $212.4 million
Beverages: $209.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from the United Kingdom under the aluminum product category via a 36.3% gain in revenue and inorganic chemicals (up 29.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were beverages (down -41.8%), vehicles (down -34.1%), iron and steel as materials (down -29.7%), medical or technical equipment (down -22.6%), gems and precious metals (down -22.5%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -20.5%).

Spain’s Main Imports from Belgium

In 2020, Belgium’s exports to Spain amounted to $7.9 billion or 2.4% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -5.1% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 70% of Spain’s imports from Belgium.

Pharmaceuticals: $1.1 billion
Plastics: $860.5 million
Vehicles: $605 million
Machinery: $497.9 million
Organic chemicals: $388 million
Other chemical goods: $339.8 million
Electronic equipment: $279.9 million
Footwear: $272.6 million
Iron and steel: $226.5 million
Medical, technical equipment: $226.2 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $197.3 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $170.1 million
Beverages: $131.7 million
Vegetable/fruit preparations: $121.6 million
Cereal, milk preparations: $121.2 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from Belgium under the beverages product category via a 39.3% gain in revenue, vehicles (up 13.5%) and electronic equipment (up 10.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -28.7%), organic chemicals (down -15.8%), vegetable or fruit preparations (down -12.4%), mineral fuels including oil (down -12.1%), knitted or crocheted clothing (down -11%) and plastics as a material (down -10.3%).

Spain’s Main Imports from Morocco

In 2020, Morocco’s exports to Spain amounted to $7.3 billion or 2.2% of overall Spanish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -6.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 92.6% of Spain’s imports from Morocco.

Electronic equipment: $2.2 billion
Clothing (not knit or crochet): $1.1 billion
Fish: $607 million
Vehicles: $588.1 million
Fruits, nuts: $555.1 million
Knit or crochet clothing: $389.6 million
Vegetables: $359.7 million
Furniture, lighting, signs: $236.5 million
Fertilizers: $134.4 million
Other textiles, worn clothing: $114.8 million
Meat, seafood preparations: $102.2 million
Machinery: $100.6 million
Inorganic chemicals: $87.2 million
Footwear: $81.7 million
Plastics: $76.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Spanish imports from Morocco under the machinery product category via a 59% gain in revenue, plastics as a materials (up 47.6%), fruits and nuts (up 25.8%) then vehicles (up 15.9%).

Posting the severest declines among Spain’s top 15 imported products were miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing (down -32.7%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -26.8%), footwear (down -24.1%) and knitted or crocheted clothing (down -14.7%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Richest Country Reports, Top 50 Countries by GDP per Capita.

Wikipedia, Spain, Borders of Spain, List of European Union member states by population

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Spain’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries