The number of workers registered in Spain as self-employed increased over the past decade. The number of such workers grew from 3.02 million to 3.08 million between 2011 and 2020, as the Iberian country dealt with the aftermath of the financial crisis that devastated the Spanish economy. In 2023, this number had increased to over 3.1 million.
This Mediterranean economy, like many countries, depends largely on small economic units, namely micro and small companies as well as self-employed individuals. The latter make up for a considerable proportion of workers in Spain. However, most Spanish companies can be classified as small or medium enterprises (SMEs). Despite their small staff, the 2.7 million micro firms, defined as having fewer than nine workers, employed approximately 4.6 million people in 2023, far more than the combined workforces of their larger counterparts. That year, SMEs’ contribution to the Spanish economy amounted to more than 384 billion euros. Micro firms alone gave generated almost 170 billion euros in economic activity.
Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023
(in 1,000s)
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INE (Spain). (February 27, 2024). Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 26, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/
INE (Spain). "Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s)." Chart. February 27, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 26, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/
INE (Spain). (2024). Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 26, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/
INE (Spain). "Number of Self-employed Workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 Feb 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/
INE (Spain), Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/ (last visited December 26, 2024)
Number of self-employed workers in Spain from 2011 to 2023 (in 1,000s) [Graph], INE (Spain), February 27, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/947183/self-employed-workers-in-spain/