Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Spain

Spain: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) was 49.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
49.2%
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
22nd
of 53 countries
All-time high
58.2%
in 2004
All-time low
36.0%
in 1999
Years of data
26
1997–2023

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Spain, 1997–2023

02040601997201020231997: 37.71999: 362000: 44.52001: 522002: 47.12003: 56.52004: 58.22005: 58.12006: 47.12007: 51.82008: 50.12009: 47.12010: 46.92011: 46.62012: 53.22013: 54.72014: 56.22015: 53.72016: 47.82017: 52.72018: 52.22019: 51.12020: 50.82021: 49.62022: 50.72023: 49.2

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2023, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Spain stood at 49.2%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Spain peaked at 58.2% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 36.0%, in 1999.

That places Spain 22nd out of 53 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Private non-profit in Spain, 1997 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1997 37.7%
1999 36.0% -4.4%
2000 44.5% +23.6%
2001 52.0% +16.7%
2002 47.1% -9.5%
2003 56.5% +20.2%
2004 58.2% +2.9%
2005 58.1% -0.1%
2006 47.1% -19.0%
2007 51.8% +10.0%
2008 50.1% -3.2%
2009 47.1% -6.1%
2010 46.9% -0.4%
2011 46.6% -0.6%
2012 53.2% +14.1%
2013 54.7% +2.9%
2014 56.2% +2.8%
2015 53.7% -4.6%
2016 47.8% -11.0%
2017 52.7% +10.2%
2018 52.2% -0.8%
2019 51.1% -2.1%
2020 50.8% -0.6%
2021 49.6% -2.4%
2022 50.7% +2.2%
2023 49.2% -2.9%

Spain compared with similar countries

  • Spain's 49.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 48.4%, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
  • Spain's 49.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 48.2%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 36.9% 36.0% 37.7% 2
2000s 51.3% 44.5% 58.2% 10
2010s 51.5% 46.6% 56.2% 10
2020s 50.1% 49.2% 50.8% 4

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 19 Sweden 50.8% compare
  2. 20 Belgium 50.3% compare
  3. 21 Costa Rica 50.0% compare
  4. 23 Poland 48.5% compare
  5. 24 Croatia 48.3% compare
  6. 25 Austria 48.2% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More science & technology data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Spain?
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Spain was 49.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 58.2% in 2004.
What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 36.0% in 1999.
How does Spain rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
Spain ranks 22nd out of 53 countries with data for 2023.
Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Private non-profit. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/female-researchers-as-a-percentage-of-total-researchers-fte-private-non-profit/spain/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/female-researchers-as-a-percentage-of-total-researchers-fte-private-non-profit/spain/">Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Spain</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Private non-profit
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
53 places, 728 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release