Spain’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries

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.

  1. Vehicles: $7.7 billion
  2. Machinery: $6.5 billion
  3. Electronic equipment: $3.7 billion
  4. Pharmaceuticals: $2.9 billion
  5. Plastics: $2.1 billion
  6. Medical, technical equipment: $1.8 billion
  7. Organic chemicals: $1.13 billion
  8. Iron and steel: $1.1 billion
  9. Other chemical goods: $920.7 million
  10. Iron or steel products: $707.3 million
  11. Tobacco: $598 million
  12. Paper: $565.5 million
  13. Aluminum: $551.9 million
  14. Tanning, dyeing extracts: $539 million
  15. 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.

  1. Electronic equipment: $7.3 billion
  2. Machinery: $5 billion
  3. Other textiles, worn clothing: $2.5 billion
  4. Toys, games: $1.7 billion
  5. Clothing (not knit or crochet): $1.6 billion
  6. Knit or crochet clothing: $1.4 billion
  7. Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.34 billion
  8. Organic chemicals: $1.32 billion
  9. Plastics: $1.1 billion
  10. Footwear: $1 billion
  11. Medical, technical equipment: $873.8 million
  12. Vehicles: $694.8 million
  13. Iron or steel products: $687.7 million
  14. Leather, animal gut articles: $612.9 million
  15. 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.

  1. Vehicles: $7.4 billion
  2. Machinery: $2.3 billion
  3. Electronic equipment: $2.2 billion
  4. Plastics: $1.59 billion
  5. Iron and steel: $1.56 billion
  6. Pharmaceuticals: $1.3 billion
  7. Perfumes, cosmetics: $1 billion
  8. Organic chemicals: $919.2 million
  9. Aircraft, spacecraft: $858.3 million
  10. Cereals: $755.8 million
  11. Medical, technical equipment: $673.1 million
  12. Mineral fuels including oil: $660.6 million
  13. Other chemical goods: $614.2 million
  14. Gems, precious metals: $565.7 million
  15. 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.

  1. Machinery: $3.4 billion
  2. Vehicles: $2 billion
  3. Electronic equipment: $1.5 billion
  4. Plastics: $1.3 billion
  5. Mineral fuels including oil: $1 billion
  6. Pharmaceuticals: $892.8 million
  7. Iron or steel products: $681.7 million
  8. Iron and steel: $588.2 million
  9. Other chemical goods: $491.6 million
  10. Medical, technical equipment: $476 million
  11. Knit or crochet clothing: $437.2 million
  12. Paper: $427.9 million
  13. Clothing (not knit or crochet): $417.2 million
  14. Furniture, lighting, signs: $339.1 million
  15. 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.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $3.4 billion
  2. Mineral fuels including oil: $2.9 billion
  3. Machinery: $1.3 billion
  4. Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.2 billion
  5. Medical, technical equipment: $1.1 billion
  6. Electronic equipment: $816.6 million
  7. Vehicles: $762.2 million
  8. Fruits, nuts: $731.8 million
  9. Oil seed: $436.6 million
  10. Ores, slag, ash: $384.9 million
  11. Plastics: $380 million
  12. Organic chemicals: $353.3 million
  13. Other chemical goods: $341 million
  14. Inorganic chemicals: $160.1 million
  15. 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.

  1. Machinery: $1.9 billion
  2. Electronic equipment: $1.8 billion
  3. Pharmaceuticals: $1.6 billion
  4. Medical, technical equipment: $755.1 million
  5. Plastics: $729.6 million
  6. Organic chemicals: $604.1 million
  7. Vehicles: $523.8 million
  8. Mineral fuels including oil: $509.7 million
  9. Iron and steel: $408.6 million
  10. Other chemical goods: $405.1 million
  11. Dairy, eggs, honey: $340.5 million
  12. Perfumes, cosmetics: $237.7 million
  13. Beverages: $230.6 million
  14. Oil seed: $229.1 million
  15. 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.

  1. Vehicles: $1.5 billion
  2. Machinery: $1 billion
  3. Plastics: $848.6 million
  4. Mineral fuels including oil: $622.7 million
  5. Iron and steel: $570.1 million
  6. Electronic equipment: $532.4 million
  7. Furniture, lighting, signs: $447.7 million
  8. Paper: $431.2 million
  9. Iron or steel products: $405.6 million
  10. Knit or crochet clothing: $374.8 million
  11. Fish: $322.9 million
  12. Tobacco: $315.9 million
  13. Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $281.2 million
  14. Fruits, nuts: $269.8 million
  15. 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.

  1. Vehicles: $1.4 billion
  2. Machinery: $1.3 billion
  3. Mineral fuels including oil: $914.5 million
  4. Electronic equipment: $777.3 million
  5. Pharmaceuticals: $760.8 million
  6. Gems, precious metals: $410.6 million
  7. Iron and steel: $375.7 million
  8. Medical, technical equipment: $364 million
  9. Plastics: $349.4 million
  10. Inorganic chemicals: $299.7 million
  11. Aluminum: $279.7 million
  12. Organic chemicals: $233.9 million
  13. Other chemical goods: $231 million
  14. Perfumes, cosmetics: $212.4 million
  15. 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.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $1.1 billion
  2. Plastics: $860.5 million
  3. Vehicles: $605 million
  4. Machinery: $497.9 million
  5. Organic chemicals: $388 million
  6. Other chemical goods: $339.8 million
  7. Electronic equipment: $279.9 million
  8. Footwear: $272.6 million
  9. Iron and steel: $226.5 million
  10. Medical, technical equipment: $226.2 million
  11. Mineral fuels including oil: $197.3 million
  12. Knit or crochet clothing: $170.1 million
  13. Beverages: $131.7 million
  14. Vegetable/fruit preparations: $121.6 million
  15. 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.

  1. Electronic equipment: $2.2 billion
  2. Clothing (not knit or crochet): $1.1 billion
  3. Fish: $607 million
  4. Vehicles: $588.1 million
  5. Fruits, nuts: $555.1 million
  6. Knit or crochet clothing: $389.6 million
  7. Vegetables: $359.7 million
  8. Furniture, lighting, signs: $236.5 million
  9. Fertilizers: $134.4 million
  10. Other textiles, worn clothing: $114.8 million
  11. Meat, seafood preparations: $102.2 million
  12. Machinery: $100.6 million
  13. Inorganic chemicals: $87.2 million
  14. Footwear: $81.7 million
  15. 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%).

See also

More great research: World’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, China’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, Netherlands 100 Most Valuable Imported Consumer Products, Germany’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, France’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, Spain’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products

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.

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