Destinations › Europe · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Spain.
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France. 505,370 sq km and 49,355,143 people, 4,964 km of coastline, temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.
Region · EuropePopulation · ~49,355,143Languages · Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician, Basque, Valencian, AraneseEco Index · 72/100 · Passable
126,170,000 visitors a year · 49,355,143 residents
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Spain.
Spain's living heritage is anchored by flamenco, the Andalusian song, guitar and dance form recognised by UNESCO and still performed everywhere from tablaos to street festivals. Regional traditions remain strong, from the Catalan sardana and human-tower castells to the Aragonese jota and Galician and Basque bagpipe music.
Where the name comes from
España, from the Roman Hispania, whose own origin is debated, with a Phoenician derivation among the readings. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: a large plateau, flat to dissected, ringed by rugged hills, with the Pyrenees along the northern border. Its high point is Pico del Teide on Tenerife, 3,715 m; on the mainland, Mulhacén, 3,479 m. Source: Instituto Geográfico Nacional, the national mapping agency, with the UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names.
Where it starts
Europe's oldest face
Human remains from the Sierra de Atapuerca are among the earliest known anywhere in Europe, dated between 1.1 and 1.4 million years ago. A reconstructed face from those layers, nicknamed Pink, is the oldest human face found in western Europe. A shaft at the same site, the Sima de los Huesos, holds the remains of at least 28 individuals, the largest assemblage of its age anywhere. Later, the painted caves of the north carried some of the finest Palaeolithic art in the world.
How it got here
Al-Andalus, and 1492
Phoenician and Greek trading colonies were founded on the coasts while Iberian and Celtic peoples held the interior, before the peninsula was incorporated into the Roman world. From 711 much of it was ruled as Al-Andalus, with Cordoba a centre of learning, medicine, mathematics and translation for the whole Mediterranean. In 1492 Granada fell, Jews were expelled, and a Spanish-funded expedition crossed the Atlantic. Civil war from 1936 was followed by dictatorship until 1975 and a democratic constitution in 1978.
The timeline
1.1 to 1.4 million years ago
Atapuerca.
Human remains from the Sierra de Atapuerca are among the earliest known in Europe. A reconstructed face from these layers, nicknamed Pink, is the oldest human face found in western Europe. ↗
c. 430,000 years ago
Sima de los Huesos.
A shaft at Atapuerca holds the remains of at least 28 individuals, the largest assemblage of its age anywhere. ↗
c. 36,000 to 15,000 years ago
Painted caves.
Altamira and the caves of northern Spain carry some of the finest Palaeolithic painting in the world. ↗
c. 1100 BC onward
Phoenicians, Greeks, Iberians and Celts.
Trading colonies are founded on the coasts while Iberian and Celtic peoples hold the interior. ↗
218 BC to AD 400s
Hispania.
The peninsula is incorporated into the Roman world and gives Rome emperors, writers and roads still in use. ↗
711 to 1492
Al-Andalus.
Muslim rule across much of the peninsula, with Cordoba a centre of learning, medicine, mathematics and translation for the whole Mediterranean. ↗
1492
Conquest, expulsion, and the crossing.
Granada falls, Jews are expelled, and a Spanish-funded expedition crosses the Atlantic. ↗
1936 to 1939
Civil war.
A civil war from 1936 to 1939 is won by the Nationalists and followed by the Franco dictatorship, which lasted until 1975. Spain stayed out of the Second World War and outside most of postwar Europe until the transition. ↗
1978
Constitution.
A democratic constitution is approved by referendum in December 1978 and comes into force on 29 December, closing the transition from the Franco dictatorship and establishing a parliamentary monarchy with autonomous communities. ↗
About 28% of Spain's land and roughly 19% of its territorial waters are protected (World Bank, 2025), largely through the EU Natura 2000 network, the largest coordinated protected-area system in the world. Enforcement rests on binding EU law, though some sites are under-resourced and face tourism and farming pressure.
Is wild Spain protected? 28.1% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Spain?
Forest cover37.2%
Terrestrial protected area28.1%
Marine protected area19%
427 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Spain and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Tenerife giant lizard
Te
Canary Island pine
Ca
The watchlist
ThreatenedBalearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedCommon thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedAngel (Squatina squatina)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
ThreatenedGran Canaria Giant Lizard (Gallotia stehlini)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (reptile).
ThreatenedOnopordum macracanthumCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguillaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedPinna nobilisCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedCommon eagle ray (Myliobatis aquila)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Spain in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Spain. GBIF holds 15 verified occurrence records.
Common thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Spain. GBIF holds 10 verified occurrence records.
Angel (Squatina squatina)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Spain. GBIF holds 27 verified occurrence records.
Gran Canaria Giant Lizard (Gallotia stehlini)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Spain. GBIF holds 219 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Spain filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in Canary Islands, mapped and named in the open record for Spain. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Spain.
Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands. Supply is reliable in the wetter north but genuinely strained in the south.
Does Spain have enough fresh water? Under pressure
99.5% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Pyrenean rivers and the Sierra Nevada headwaters.
How much fresh water does Spain have, per person?
2,327 m³
Spain
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Spain withdraws about 29,020 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 43.3% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as high water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 65%, homes and towns 16%, industry 19%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Spain beaches?
·Tap water: Varies.
✓Plastic rules: Yes: EU single-use-plastic rules, charges on lightweight bags and a 2023 plastic packaging tax..
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 19% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Where does the sewage go?
88.3%
of people have safely managed sanitation
88.3% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Spain doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Scorching summer interiors; coastal breezes; the north is green and mild.
Nearshore
Protected water
19% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Pyrenean rivers and the Sierra Nevada headwaters..
The record
Measured
Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands.
Sea protected
19%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
427 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Pyrenean rivers and the Sierra Nevada headwaters..
Is the tap water safe in Spain?
99.5% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 2,327 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 3 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 26.1% of what Spain renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is past the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply is being pushed towards its limit.
When is the best time to visit Spain? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Spain actually have?
Nature renews about 2,327 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Spain 91 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the drier half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus. No verified single food-import figure was found, but the country is a major net food exporter rather than an importer. Farming and fishing remain culturally and economically central.
Where does the food in Spain come from?
12.5% imported
about US$63,960m a year
On the plate: Olive oil, bread, chickpeas and lentils, tomatoes, peppers, rice.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Olive oil60%
Bread51%
Chickpeas42%
Lentils33%
Tomatoes24%
Peppers15%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$63,960m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 12.5% of everything Spain buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 2.7% of the economy and 49.6% of the land is agricultural, of which 23% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Spain? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined83.6%
Diabetes9.7%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 49.9%.
Can Spain feed itself?
23.0%
Arable land
49.6%
Agricultural land
835,473
Farmers
28,409,056
Arable acres
2.7%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Olives October to January, grape harvest (vendimia) in September, citrus in winter.
Feeding itself
Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus. No verified single food-import figure was found, but the country is a major net food exporter rather than an importer.
Certification
Around 10% of Spain's agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020 data), one of the larger organic areas in the European Union by hectares. Andalucia and the interior grow substantial organic olives, cereals and vines.
Water for crops
Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Spain, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 49.6% of the country is agricultural land and 23% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Spain are olives, barley, wheat, grapes and tomatoes (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Asia Markt, Flea Market - Domingo Sunday, Hippy Market Punta Arabí at Es Caná, Mercado Adurza, Mercado Alicante, Mercado Altabas. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Per-person emissions are moderate for a large European economy at about 4.6 tonnes of CO2 in 2024. Continued reliance on gas for balancing and in transport keeps it short of the cleanest grids.
What powers Spain?
Renewable 55.9%Fossil 25.4%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
4.51 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
6.42 tonnes
The grid
Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050.
Pollution
National average fine-particle pollution is low at 7.5 micrograms per cubic metre (AQLI, 2022), below the level of concern. Spain applies EU single-use-plastic rules, charges for lightweight bags and introduced a plastic packaging tax in 2023, though Mediterranean marine plastic and beach litter from mass tourism persist.
Water stress
Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.53%
2IndustryAlmeria's plastic-greenhouse belt and intensive pig farming, which strain water and soils..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.7.5
4On the recordNational average fine-particle pollution is low at 7.5 micrograms per cubic metre (AQLI, 2022), below the level of concern.
What has Spain promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today47% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target28.1% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target19% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in law; in policy document. Measured against it, 47% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 53% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year4.51 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy3.19 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy2.05 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy1.69 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.46 t CO2e
New York return, economy1.04 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Spain emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Spain.
Data centres
71
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
55.9 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Spain?
A machine here runs mostly on renewables, but not entirely.
Renewable 55.9%Fossil 44.1%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 47% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Spain has 71 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Madrid (21), Barcelona (7), Alcobendas (3), alongside 18 internet exchanges (CATNIX, ESpanix Madrid Lower LAN, ESpanix Madrid Upper LAN, NIXVAL-IX). Named sites include Espanix Datacenter, Equinix BA1 - Barcelona, Equinix MD2 - Madrid, Digital Realty Madrid MAD1-2.
Where the cables land. 48 landing points · Aguimes, Canary Islands, Almería, Alta Vista, Canary Islands, Arrecife, Canary Islands
28% residents to 72% visitors across a year. 126,170,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 49,355,143 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Spain
36,410k
Visitors a year
0.7
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Spain?· for every $100 Spain earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2020 peak
$ 119The worst year on the IMF record. Spain owed $119 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2020signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 98What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 90The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $90 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Spain earns in a year, it owes $98 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Spain?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 126,170,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 49,355,143 residents, 2.6 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Spain is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 12.5% of everything Spain imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, olives, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, barley, sugar beets, maize, oranges, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
47% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Spain. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Spain owes $98 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$98 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, vehicles, is 15.5% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 15.5%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 19.8% of everything Spain makes from exports (1998, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
19.8% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 3.19 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
3.19 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$2,091 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$2,091bn
GDPUS$1,906.5bn
Agriculture, share of GDP2.7%
Visitors a year36,410,000
Visitors per resident0.7
Residents~49,355,143
Agriculture
Farming is 2.7% of the economy. Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus.
Natural materials
Spain retains genuine natural-materials traditions, including Merino wool (the breed originated here), esparto grass weaving and jute espadrilles still made in Valencia and La Rioja. These survive as regional crafts and industry rather than pervasive everyday production.
Energy
Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Spain?
By rooms · company records and press.
Cabanes als Arbres · ~16 roomsIndependentnot published
Hotel La Almunia del Valle · ~11 roomsIndependentnot published
Finca La Donaira · ~9 roomsIndependentnot published
Es Racó d’Artà · ~34 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
2015109,834k
2016115,561k
2017121,717k
2018124,456k
2019126,170k
202036,410k
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, olives, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, barley, sugar beets, maize and oranges, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use High-speed AVE trains and buses link the cities; hire a car for rural regions.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Spain pairs a formidable farming and protected-area record with real Mediterranean water stress and mass-tourism pressure.
Best time: Spring and autumn, avoiding the summer heat and crowds.
Getting around
High-speed AVE trains and buses link the cities; hire a car for rural regions.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is olives, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, barley, sugar beets, maize and oranges. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards everywhere; EUR. Eat late, dinner rarely starts before 9pm.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Cabanes als ArbresHotel La Almunia del ValleFinca La DonairaEs Racó d’Artà
.
Who owns the big hotels
Cabanes als ArbresIndependent · 16 rooms
Hotel La Almunia del ValleIndependent · 11 rooms
Finca La DonairaIndependent · 9 rooms
Es Racó d’ArtàIndependent · 34 rooms
None of the 4 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Spain.
How well is Spain actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Spain scores 71 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
How well is Spain run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 62 of 100
Control of corruption scores 62.3 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is above the halfway mark of governments measured.
62
Freedom and rights, scored 77 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 76.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
77
Government effectiveness, scored 73 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 72.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
73
Income equality, scored 33 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 33.4 (2023, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Spain sits inside it.
33
LGBTQ+ status: HighSolo female travel: Easy99.7% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Almeria's plastic-greenhouse belt and intensive pig farming, which strain water and soils.
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around High-speed AVE trains and buses link the cities; hire a car for rural regions.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 7.5. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Pyrenees and Picos de Europa mountains.
✓Tap water Varies
✓What to drink Tap water is safe in most cities but often hard and chalky; rural and coastal areas vary.
✓Plastic rules Yes: EU single-use-plastic rules, charges on lightweight bags and a 2023 plastic packaging tax.
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/F, 230V
99.7%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 4.6% of GDP and 9.9% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 118.5% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2024).
Made in Spain.
Spain retains genuine natural-materials traditions, including Merino wool (the breed originated here), esparto grass weaving and jute espadrilles still made in Valencia and La Rioja. These survive as regional crafts and industry rather than pervasive everyday production. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Spain actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Spain sells the world is vehicles, 15.5% of all exports in 2023 (about US$65.33 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are machinery and mechanical appliances at 6.8%, mineral fuels and oils at 6.7%, electrical machinery and electronics at 5.3%, pharmaceuticals at 5.2%.
Made now · natural materials
Merino wool (the breed originated here)
Worked in Spain from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Esparto grass weaving
Worked in Spain from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Jute espadrilles still made in Valencia
Worked in Spain from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
La Rioja. These survive as regional crafts
Worked in Spain from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Industry rather than pervasive everyday production
Worked in Spain from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Could make · grown here already
Olive oil
Grown in Spain and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Bread
Grown in Spain and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Chickpeas
Grown in Spain and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Spain produces about US$1,906 billion a year, which is roughly US$38,627 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 2.7% of that, while food is 12.5% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 23% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
Guitar
A living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
Dance
A living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
Catalan sardana
A living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
Human-tower castellsA living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
JotaA living tradition of Spain, still practised rather than archived.
Does Spain protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Spain's living heritage is anchored by flamenco, the Andalusian song, guitar and dance form recognised by UNESCO and still performed everywhere from tablaos to street festivals. Regional traditions remain strong, from the Catalan sardana and human-tower castells to the Aragonese jota and Galician and Basque bagpipe music. Holy Week processions, the fire festivals of the Valencian Fallas and the thunderous tamboradas drum rituals draw whole communities each year.
Who it belongs to. Spain has deeply rooted regional cultures, from Basque and Catalan to Andalusian, with living language, festival and food traditions. However coastal tourism on the Costas, the Balearics and the Canaries is largely mass-market and extractive, and several cities now face open overtourism disputes.
Only here. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), the world's most endangered cat, found only on the Iberian Peninsula and recovered through rewilding in Andalucia..
Three futures for Spain, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named craft workshops on the open map: Alfares, Aluminios Noa S.L., Aluminis Mestres SCP, Arte & Hobby, Arte y Marcos Moruno, ArtePlus.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+20%
Forest cover
1995: 31 % → 2023: 37.2 %
+222%
Renewable electricity
1995: 14.6 % → 2021: 47 %
-30%
CO2 per person
1995: 6.42 t → 2024: 4.51 t
-31%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 52460 k → 2020: 36410 k
-6%
Protected land
2013: 29.8 % → 2025: 28.1 %
-62%
Farm workforce
1995: 8.99 % → 2025: 3.37 %
+1018%
Protected sea
2013: 1.7 % → 2025: 19 %
-17%
Agricultural land
1995: 59.5 % → 2023: 49.6 %
+7%
Urban population
1995: 75.6 % → 2025: 80.5 %
-36%
Air pollution
1995: 15.8 µg/m³ → 2023: 10.1 µg/m³
-17%
Fresh water per person
1995: 2799.3 m³ → 2022: 2327 m³
-5%
Adult overweight
1995: 52.3 % → 2022: 49.9 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+150%
GDP per person
1995: 15461 → 2025: 38627
+24%
Population
1995: 39724 k → 2025: 49355 k
+129%
Renewable energy use
1995: 8.3 % → 2021: 19 %
-9%
Energy per person
1995: 2537 kg → 2024: 2304 kg
+99%
Protected area, total
2013: 11.1 % → 2025: 22.1 %
+8%
Life expectancy
1995: 78 yrs → 2024: 83.9 yrs
+119%
Cereal yield
1995: 1730 ha → 2024: 3786 ha
-13%
Fertiliser use
1995: 133.1 ha → 2023: 115.1 ha
-20%
Rural population
1995: 24.4 % → 2025: 19.5 %
+104%
Water productivity
1995: 22.8 $/m3 → 2022: 46.4 $/m3
+36%
Health spending
2000: 6.8 % → 2023: 9.22 %
+20%
Forest area
1995: 154993 km2 → 2023: 185850 km2
+33%
Electric power use
1995: 3917 kWh → 2024: 5196 kWh
-3%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 39.2 e → 2023: 38.1 e
+27%
Emissions: Building
1990: 17.2 e → 2023: 21.9 e
-31%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 78.3 e → 2023: 53.9 e
-2%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 208.1 e → 2023: 204.8 e
-39%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 21.7 e → 2023: 13.3 e
-30%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 41.3 e → 2023: 28.8 e
+43%
Emissions: Transportation
1990: 64.6 e → 2023: 92.2 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 31.0% to 37.2% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 14.6% to 47.0% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 6.4 t to 4.5 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 52460k to 36410k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 29.8% to 28.1% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 9.0% to 3.4% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.7% to 19.0% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 59.5% to 49.6% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 75.6% to 80.5% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 15.8 µg/m³ to 10.1 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 2799.3 m³ to 2327.0 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 52.3% to 49.9% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 15461 to 38627 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 39724k to 49355k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 8.3% to 19% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 2537 kg to 2304 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 11.1% to 22.1% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 77.98 yrs to 83.89 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 1730 kg/ha to 3786 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 133.05 kg/ha to 115.14 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 24.41% to 19.49% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 22.77 $/m3 to 46.44 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 6.8% to 9.22% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 154993 km2 to 185850 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 3917 kWh to 5196 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 39.21 to 38.13 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 17.18 to 21.87 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 78.31 to 53.85 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 208.13 to 204.84 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 21.74 to 13.26 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 41.32 to 28.79 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have transportation emissions moved?
Transportation emissions moved from 64.63 to 92.22 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, culture at 3/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Spain already shows it can do this: food and farming scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift culture
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Spain's record. Spain has deeply rooted regional cultures, from Basque and Catalan to Andalusian, with living language, festival and food traditions. However coastal tourism on the Costas, the Balearics and the Canaries is largely mass-market and extractive, and several cities now face open overtourism disputes. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift energy
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Spain's record. Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Per-person emissions are moderate for a large European economy at about 4.6 tonnes of CO2 in 2024. Continued reliance on gas for balancing and in transport keeps it short of the cleanest grids. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift natural fibres
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Spain's record. Spain retains genuine natural-materials traditions, including Merino wool (the breed originated here), esparto grass weaving and jute espadrilles still made in Valencia and La Rioja. These survive as regional crafts and industry rather than pervasive everyday production. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Spain.
Who is in charge of Spain now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Pedro Sánchez
President of the Government of Spain
Pedro Sánchez is the head of government of Spain, in office since 2 June 2018. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 76.9 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 62.3 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 65.8 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 73 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 64.7 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Pedro SánchezPresident of the Government of Spain
The Cortes (Las Cortes Generales)Legislature, bicameral
Next election31 July 2027
Last election23 July 2023
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1978
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Spain national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Law<br>In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Law (5/27/2021) In Policy Document (12/11/2020) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Spain sustainable?
Spain scores 72 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Spain pairs a formidable farming and protected-area record with real Mediterranean water stress and mass-tourism pressure.
Is the water in Spain safe and plentiful?
Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands. Supply is reliable in the wetter north but genuinely strained in the south.
Can Spain feed itself?
Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus. No verified single food-import figure was found, but the country is a major net food exporter rather than an importer. Farming and fishing remain culturally and economically central.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Spain?
The traditional Mediterranean diet is built on olive oil, bread, pulses such as chickpeas and lentils, tomatoes, peppers and rice, and fresh produce is abundant in daily covered markets. Vegetarian and vegan options are now common in cities, though meat and seafood such as jamon remain central to most cooking. Unprocessed local plant food is easy to find.
How much of Spain is actually protected?
About 28% of Spain's land and roughly 19% of its territorial waters are protected (World Bank, 2025), largely through the EU Natura 2000 network, the largest coordinated protected-area system in the world. Enforcement rests on binding EU law, though some sites are under-resourced and face tourism and farming pressure.
What wildlife is left in Spain?
Spain hosts Europe's flagship rewilding success, the Iberian lynx, whose wild population has recovered from around 100 animals to over two thousand, alongside the Spanish imperial eagle, Cantabrian brown bears and the Donana wetlands. The Canary Islands add exceptional island endemism. Mainland endemism is otherwise modest.
Is Spain on clean energy?
Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Per-person emissions are moderate for a large European economy at about 4.6 tonnes of CO2 in 2024.
How polluted is Spain?
National average fine-particle pollution is low at 7.5 micrograms per cubic metre (AQLI, 2022), below the level of concern. Spain applies EU single-use-plastic rules, charges for lightweight bags and introduced a plastic packaging tax in 2023, though Mediterranean marine plastic and beach litter from mass tourism persist.
Does recycling work in Spain?
Spain recycles roughly a third of its municipal waste, below the European Union average, with separate collection improving but still uneven between regions. Much residual waste is still landfilled.
Is the farming in Spain organic?
Around 10% of Spain's agricultural land is certified organic (FiBL, 2020 data), one of the larger organic areas in the European Union by hectares. Andalucia and the interior grow substantial organic olives, cereals and vines.
Are there natural materials and craft in Spain?
Spain retains genuine natural-materials traditions, including Merino wool (the breed originated here), esparto grass weaving and jute espadrilles still made in Valencia and La Rioja. These survive as regional crafts and industry rather than pervasive everyday production.
Is there living culture in Spain?
Spain has deeply rooted regional cultures, from Basque and Catalan to Andalusian, with living language, festival and food traditions. However coastal tourism on the Costas, the Balearics and the Canaries is largely mass-market and extractive, and several cities now face open overtourism disputes.
What heritage does Spain keep alive?
Spain's living heritage is anchored by flamenco, the Andalusian song, guitar and dance form recognised by UNESCO and still performed everywhere from tablaos to street festivals. Regional traditions remain strong, from the Catalan sardana and human-tower castells to the Aragonese jota and Galician and Basque bagpipe music. Holy Week processions, the fire festivals of the Valencian Fallas and the thunderous tamboradas drum rituals draw whole communities each year.
So is Spain actually green? The measured answer
What is working: land protected at 28.1%.
What is not: renewable electricity at 47% against a 100% mark.
Spain sits 22 of 77 at 72/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Spain particularly good at?
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus. No verified single food-import figure was found, but the country is a major net food exporter rather than an importer. Farming and fishing remain culturally and economically central.
✓Conservation, scored 4/5. About 28% of Spain's land and roughly 19% of its territorial waters are protected (World Bank, 2025), largely through the EU Natura 2000 network, the largest coordinated protected-area system in the world. Enforcement rests on binding EU law, though some sites are under-resourced and face tourism and farming pressure.
✓Heritage, scored 4/5. Spain's living heritage is anchored by flamenco, the Andalusian song, guitar and dance form recognised by UNESCO and still performed everywhere from tablaos to street festivals. Regional traditions remain strong, from the Catalan sardana and human-tower castells to the Aragonese jota and Galician and Basque bagpipe music. Holy Week processions, the fire festivals of the Valencian Fallas and the thunderous tamboradas drum rituals draw whole communities each year. These customs are woven into regional identity rather than staged only for visitors.
Where does Spain score worst?
✕Recycling, scored 3/5. Spain recycles roughly a third of its municipal waste, below the European Union average, with separate collection improving but still uneven between regions. Much residual waste is still landfilled.
✕Water, scored 3/5. Spain draws on major rivers such as the Ebro, Tagus, Guadalquivir and Douro, plus reservoirs and aquifers, and safely managed drinking water reaches 99.5% of people (World Bank, 2024). Yet it is one of Europe's most water-stressed countries, with recurrent severe droughts, heavy groundwater over-abstraction and growing reliance on desalination along the arid southeast coast and the islands. Supply is reliable in the wetter north but genuinely strained in the south.
✕Wildlife, scored 3/5. Spain hosts Europe's flagship rewilding success, the Iberian lynx, whose wild population has recovered from around 100 animals to over two thousand, alongside the Spanish imperial eagle, Cantabrian brown bears and the Donana wetlands. The Canary Islands add exceptional island endemism. Mainland endemism is otherwise modest.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FranceScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.78
SwitzerlandScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.75
GermanyScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.75
United KingdomScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.65
MontenegroScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.63
SerbiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Spain.58
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Spain now generates around half of its electricity from renewables, roughly 50 per cent in 2023, led by wind and a rapidly expanding solar fleet, with the share rising further since. It has effectively phased out coal power and enshrined its targets in a 2021 Climate Change and Energy Transition Law aiming for climate neutrality by 2050.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Spain's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 5/5
Spain is an agricultural heavyweight and Europe's leading producer of olive oil, and a top grower of fruit, vegetables, wine and pork, running a large agri-food trade surplus. No verified single food-import figure was found, but the country is a major net food exporter rather than an importer.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Spain's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 4/5
Spain's living heritage is anchored by flamenco, the Andalusian song, guitar and dance form recognised by UNESCO and still performed everywhere from tablaos to street festivals. Regional traditions remain strong, from the Catalan sardana and human-tower castells to the Aragonese jota and Galician and Basque bagpipe music.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Spain's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Spain Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Spain, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
72.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
73 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
65.8 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
76.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
64.0 / 100 · 22 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 22 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
67.8 / 100 · 22 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 22 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
66.9 / 100 · 27 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 27 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
89.3 / 100 · 29 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 29 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
93.5 / 100 · 23 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 23 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
33.3 / 100 · 118 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 118 of 131 countries assessed.
How Spain Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
