History of Spain in Timeline

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is located in Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. It's the largest country in Southern Europe and the fourth-most populous EU member. Its territory includes the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, and Ceuta and Melilla in mainland Africa. It is bordered by France, Andorra, the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar, Portugal, and the Atlantic Ocean. Madrid is its capital and largest city, followed by Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville.

1900: Spain's population was 18.6 million

In 1900, Spain's population stood at 18.6 million, which has since increased significantly.

1901: Regionalist League of Catalonia Formed

In 1901, the Regionalist League of Catalonia was formed.

1910: Confederación Nacional del Trabajo Founded

In 1910, the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo was founded, following the anarcho-syndicalist trend of the labour movement in Spain.

1923: Crown-Supported Dictatorship

From 1923 to 1931, there was a period of Crown-supported dictatorship.

1927: Federación Anarquista Ibérica Founded

In 1927, the Federación Anarquista Ibérica was founded.

April 1931: Municipal Elections

On 12 April 1931, the municipal elections took place, and the Republican-Socialist candidacies achieved a resounding victory in large cities and provincial capitals, with a majority of monarchist councilors in rural areas. Following this, the king left the country and the proclamation of the Republic on 14 April ensued.

June 1931: Constituent General Election

In June 1931, the Constituent general election was held.

October 1931: Constitution Passed

In October 1931, a constitution for the country was passed, following the June 1931 Constituent general election.

1931: Spanish became the official language

Since 1931, Spanish has effectively been the official language of the entire country.

1931: Restoration Period Ends

The Restoration, which lasted from 1875 to 1931, came to an end.

1932: Local studios for sound films were created

In 1932, local studios for sound films were created in Spain, marking a development in the country's cinema industry.

1932: Failed Coup d'État

In 1932, there was a failed coup d'état led by José Sanjurjo.

1933: Right Triumphed

In the election held in 1933 the right triumphed.

1934: Revolution of 1934

The Revolution of 1934 occurred.

October 1936: Franco Sworn in as Leader

On 1 October 1936, General Francisco Franco was sworn in as the supreme leader of the rebels.

1936: Left Triumphed

In the election held in 1936, the left triumphed.

1936: Silver Age of Spanish Culture ensued

The Silver Age of Spanish Culture ensued in 1936, encompassing the period from 1868 or 1874 to 1936.

1937: Formation of FET y de las JONS

In 1937, the only legal party under Franco's dictatorship, the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS (FET y de las JONS), was formed.

April 1939: Franco's Victory

On 1 April 1939, the rebel side led by Franco emerged victorious in the civil war.

1941: Government imposed dubbing of foreign films

In 1941, the government imposed the dubbing of foreign films in Spain, leading Spanish audiences to become accustomed to watching dubbed films.

1955: Spain Joins the United Nations

In 1955, during the Cold War period, Spain was allowed to join the United Nations.

1959: Formation of ETA

In 1959, during Franco's rule, the armed organisation ETA was formed.

1960: Spanish economic miracle begins

In 1960, technocratic reforms laid the groundwork for the Spanish economic miracle, a period of rapid growth from 1960 until 1974.

1962: Congress of the European Movement in Munich

In 1962, a group of politicians involved in the opposition to Franco's regime inside the country and in exile met in the congress of the European Movement in Munich, where they made a resolution in favour of democracy.

1970: Spain had seven different educational laws since 1970

From 1970 to 2014, Spain has had seven different educational laws.

1974: End of the Spanish economic miracle

Spain's economy grew an average of 6.6 percent per year during the Spanish economic miracle starting in 1960 until 1974, exceeding every country except Japan.

November 1975: Juan Carlos Becomes King

In November 1975, with Franco's death, Juan Carlos succeeded to the position of King of Spain and head of state.

1975: Death of Franco

After the return of democracy following the death of Franco in 1975, Spain's foreign policy priorities were to break out of the diplomatic isolation of the Franco years and expand diplomatic relations, enter the European Community, and define security relations with the West.

March 1976: Massacre of 3 March in Vitoria

The Spanish 1977 Amnesty Law let people of Franco's regime continue inside institutions without consequences, even perpetrators of the Massacre of 3 March 1976 in Vitoria.

June 1976: Adolfo Suárez appointed as Prime Minister

In June 1976, King Juan Carlos dismissed Carlos Arias Navarro and appointed the reformer Adolfo Suárez as Prime Minister.

1977: Spanish Amnesty Law

In 1977, the Spanish Amnesty Law let people of Franco's regime continue inside institutions without consequences.

1977: General election convened the Constituent Cortes

In 1977, the resulting general election convened the Constituent Cortes (the Spanish Parliament, in its capacity as a constitutional assembly) for the purpose of drafting and approving the constitution of 1978.

December 1978: New constitution approved in national referendum

After a national referendum on December 6, 1978, 88% of voters approved the new constitution.

1978: Autonomous communities created

After the current constitution came into effect in 1978, Spain's autonomous communities were created, recognizing the right to self-government.

1978: Spanish Constitution featured castellano

In 1978, the Spanish Constitution featured Spanish as 'castellano' ('Castilian').

1978: Approval of the New Spanish Constitution

In 1978, the new Spanish Constitution was approved, and democracy was restored.

1978: Spanish Constitution protects rights

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 "protects all Spaniards and all the peoples of Spain in the exercise of human rights, their cultures and traditions, languages and institutions".

February 1981: Cortes Seized

On 23 February 1981, rebel elements among the security forces seized the Cortes in an attempt to impose a military-backed government.

May 1982: Spain Joined NATO

In May 1982 Spain joined NATO, followed by a referendum after a strong social opposition.

1982: Spain joins NATO

As a member of NATO since 1982, Spain has established itself as a participant in multilateral international security activities.

1986: Spain Joined the European Economic Community

In 1986 Spain joined the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union.

1990: Increase in foreign direct investment

Between 1990 and 2000, EU membership coincided with a tripling of foreign direct investment in Spain.

1996: Partido Popular Came to Power

In 1996 the Partido Popular (PP) replaced the PSOE in government after scandals.

1996: Immigrant number was 500,000

In 1996, the number of immigrants in Spain was 500,000.

1998: Immigrants were 1.6% of the population

In 1998, immigrants represented 1.6% of Spain's population.

1999: Spain participates in launch of the euro

In 1999, Spain implemented policies and reforms that allowed for its participation in the inaugural launch of the euro.

2000: Increase in foreign direct investment

Between 1990 and 2000, EU membership coincided with a tripling of foreign direct investment in Spain.

2000: Spanish companies reached multinational status

Since the 1990s, which saw a wave of privatisations, by 2000 many Spanish companies reached multinational status and maintain a strong presence in Latin America.

2001: Military conscription suppressed

Military conscription was suppressed in Spain in 2001.

January 2002: Spain Fully Adopted the Euro

On 1 January 2002, Spain fully adopted the euro.

2002: Spain was Europe's top recipient of migrants

From 2002 to 2007, Spain was Europe's top recipient of migrants, with 2.5 million arrivals.

2002: Armed incident over Perejil Island

In 2002, Spain and Morocco had an armed incident over Perejil Island, a small, uninhabited rocky islet located in the South shore of the Strait of Gibraltar.

2002: Prestige Oil Spill

In 2002, the Prestige oil spill occurred with big ecological consequences along Spain's Atlantic coastline.

2003: Spain Supported US in Iraq War

In 2003 José María Aznar supported US president George W. Bush in the Iraq War, and a strong movement against war rose in Spanish society.

March 2004: Madrid Train Bombings

In March 2004 a local Islamist terrorist group inspired by Al-Qaeda carried out the largest terrorist attack in Western European history when they killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 others by bombing commuter trains in Madrid.

2005: Spain had the second highest immigration rate in the EU

In 2005, Spain had the second highest immigration rate in the European Union, after Cyprus, and the highest in absolute numbers, increasing the legal immigrant population by 700,000.

2005: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized

In 2005, the Spanish government legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the third country worldwide to do so.

2006: LOE educational law

In 2006, the LOE (Ley Orgánica de Educación), or Fundamental Law for the Education, regulated the state education system in Spain.

2007: Spain was Europe's top recipient of migrants

From 2002 to 2007, Spain was Europe's top recipient of migrants, with 2.5 million arrivals.

2007: Gender Equality Act approved

In 2007, the Cortes Generales approved the Gender Equality Act aimed at furthering equality between genders in Spanish political and economic life.

2008: Immigrant number was 5.2 million

By 2008, the number of immigrants in Spain had grown to 5.2 million.

2008: Spain granted citizenship to 84,170 persons

In 2008, Spain granted citizenship to 84,170 persons, primarily from Ecuador, Colombia, and Morocco.

2008: Spain favored destination for Western Europeans

In 2008, prior to the economic crisis, the Financial Times reported that Spain was the most favored destination for Western Europeans seeking jobs elsewhere in the EU.

2008: Bursting of Spanish property bubble

In 2008, the Spanish property bubble burst, leading to the 2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis.

2008: Start of Spanish financial crisis

Spain was among the countries affected most by the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent European debt crisis, leading to the 2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis.

2008: Financial Crisis

The 2008 financial crisis caused the proportion of Spain's foreign born population to decline after an increase during its economic boom.

2009: Immigrants were over 12% of the population

By 2009, immigrants constituted over 12% of Spain's population.

2009: Fossil fuels generated 58% of Spain's electricity

In 2009, fossil fuels generated 58% of Spain's electricity, slightly below the OECD average. Nuclear power generated 19%, while wind and hydro each contributed about 12%.

November 2010: Spain became the solar power world leader

In November 2010, Spain became the world leader in solar power, surpassing the United States with the La Florida power plant. Additionally, wind energy in Spain reached a peak, covering 53% of the mainland's electricity demand.

2010: ETA Announced Permanent Cease of Violence

In 2010, ETA announced its permanent cease of violence.

2011: People's Party won the election

In 2011, Mariano Rajoy's conservative People's Party won the election with 44.6% of the votes.

2011: Over half a million people left Spain

In 2011, over half a million people left Spain, marking the first net migration rate in decades.

2013: Acceptance of homosexuality in Spain

According to Pew Research in 2013, Spain is rated first in acceptance of homosexuality, with 88% of those surveyed saying that homosexuality should be accepted.

June 2014: Abdication of Juan Carlos

On June 19, 2014, King Juan Carlos abdicated the throne in favor of his son, who then became King Felipe VI.

2014: Spain aims to put one million electric cars on the road

By 2014, Spain aimed to have one million electric cars on the road as part of the government's plan to save energy and boost energy efficiency.

2014: LOMCE law partially modified the LOE

In 2014, the LOE was partially modified by the newer and controversial LOMCE law (Ley Orgánica para la Mejora de la Calidad Educativa).

2014: End of Spanish financial crisis

Spain was among the countries affected most by the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent European debt crisis, leading to the 2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis.

2014: Immigrant numbers decreased due to economic crisis

Until 2014, the number of immigrants decreased in Spain due to the economic crisis.

2015: Net immigration increased

By 2015, net immigration had increased, and Spain has again become a major immigration destination.

2015: Spanish defense budget increase

In 2015, the Spanish defense budget increased by 1% to 5.71 billion euros (US$7.2 billion) due to security concerns.

October 2017: Catalan independence referendum and declaration

In October 2017, a Catalan independence referendum was held and the Catalan parliament voted to unilaterally declare independence from Spain, forming a Catalan Republic. The Spanish Senate approved direct rule over Catalonia, leading the Prime Minister to dissolve the Catalan parliament and call a new election.

2017: Spanish armed forces strength

In 2017, the Spanish armed forces had a strength of 121,900 active personnel and 4,770 reserve personnel.

May 2018: ETA Dissolution

In May 2018, the armed organisation ETA dissolved.

June 2018: Motion of no-confidence against Rajoy

In June 2018, the Congress of Deputies passed a motion of no-confidence against Rajoy and replaced him with PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez.

September 2018: Women in Spanish Parliament

According to Inter-Parliamentary Union data as of September 1, 2018, 39.1% of the Congress and 39.9% of the Senate members were women.

2018: CSIC ranked 5th top governmental scientific institution worldwide

In 2018, the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) was ranked as the 5th top governmental scientific institution worldwide.

2019: Over 2,100,000 inhabitants of Muslim background living in Spain

As of 2019, there were more than 2,100,000 inhabitants of Muslim background living in Spain, accounting for 4–5% of the total population.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score

In 2019, the Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score for the country was 4.23/10, ranking it 130th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: First coalition government formed

In 2019, the first ever coalition government in Spain was formed, between PSOE and Unidas Podemos.

January 2020: COVID-19 virus confirmed in Spain

In January 2020, the COVID-19 virus was confirmed to have spread to Spain, causing life expectancy to drop by more than a year.

2020: Study on religious beliefs by the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research

According to a 2020 study, about 61% of Spaniards self-identify as Catholics, 3% other faiths, and about 35% identify with no religion.

2020: Castile and Leon leader in rural tourism

Since 2020, Castile and Leon has been the Spanish leader in rural tourism due to its environmental and architectural heritage.

March 2021: Euthanasia made legal in Spain

In March 2021, Spain became the sixth nation in the world to make active euthanasia legal.

2021: Survey on languages carried out by National Statistics Institute

According to an official survey complementary to the 2021 census carried out by National Statistics Institute, Spanish is considered as first language by 81.53%, while Catalan/Valencian by 10.50%, Galician by 3.77% and Basque by 1.42% of the Spanish population.

July 2023: Pedro Sánchez formed a coalition government

Following the general election on July 23, 2023, prime minister Pedro Sánchez once again formed a coalition government, this time with Sumar.

2023: Spanish companies in Fortune Global 500

As of 2023, Spain was home to eight of the 500 largest companies in the world by annual revenue, according to the Fortune Global 500, including Banco Santander, Iberdrola, and Telefónica.

2023: 81.6% of Spain's population lived in urban areas

As of 2023, approximately 81.6% of Spain’s population lived in urban areas.

2023: Madrid (Barajas) airport is world's 15th busiest

In 2023, Madrid (Barajas) airport was the world's 15th busiest airport, handling 60 million passengers.

2023: Automobile production in Spain

In 2023, Spain produced 2.45 million automobiles, ranking eighth in the world and second in Europe.

2023: Spain's average total fertility rate was 1.12

In 2023, Spain's average total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.12 children born per woman, one of the lowest in the world.

2023: Tourism contributed to 12.3% of GDP

In 2023, tourism in Spain contributed to 12.3% of the country's GDP.

December 2024: Largest source of immigrants was Morocco

As of December 2024, the largest source of immigrants in Spain was Morocco, with over 1 million people.

2024: Global Peace Index ranking

According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Spain is the 23rd most peaceful country in the world.

2024: Spain's GDP and Economic Growth

As of 2024, Spain is the fastest growing major advanced economy in the world, growing nearly four times higher than the eurozone average.

2024: Salvador Illa elected as Catalan regional president

In 2024, Salvador Illa was elected as the first non-independentist Catalan regional president in over a decade, marking a move toward normalizing relations between the national and regional administrations.

2024: Spain ranked 28th in the Global Innovation Index

In 2024, Spain was ranked 28th in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Spain second most visited country

In 2024, Spain was the second most visited country in the world, with 94 million tourists and international tourist expenditure reaching around 126 billion euros.

2024: Barcelona (El Prat) airport is world's 30th busiest

In 2024, the Barcelona (El Prat) airport was the world's 30th-busiest airport, with 50 million passengers.

January 2025: Youth unemployment rate in Spain

As of January 2025, the youth unemployment rate in Spain was 24.90 percent, the highest among EU members.

February 2025: Spain has the longest HSR network in Europe

As of February 2025, the Spanish high-speed rail network is the longest HSR network in Europe, with 3,973 km.

July 2025: Spain has a population of 49,315,949

In July 2025, Spain's population was recorded at 49,315,949 people, with native Spaniards accounting for 80.36% of the total population.

July 2025: Unemployment rate in Spain

In July 2025, the unemployment rate in Spain stood at 10.29 percent.

2025: Over 9.3 million foreign-born people in Spain

As of 2025, there were over 9.3 million foreign-born people in Spain, making up to 19.11% of the population.

2026: Next Generation EU economic recovery package usage

The European Commission's Next Generation EU economic recovery package, created to support EU member states recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, will be in use during the period of 2021–2026.