Introduction

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of Spanish sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question.

In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Spanish sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 66.8

Delegation of sovereignty: Spain is a member of the EU, UN, NATO, WTO, Council of Europe, G20, OSCE, IMF, World Bank, IADB, EBRD, OSCE, Atomic Energy Agency, IRENA, UNESCO, UNICEF and many other organizations; actively participates in specialized EU bodies and regional alliances (ASEAN-partner, Ibero-America, African Union by agreement).

Limitation of national legislation/supremacy of national rights: Spain recognizes the supremacy of EU law, is subject to the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), implements the norms of the European Convention on Human Rights and is obliged to comply with many international agreements; the national Constitution and the Constitutional Court define the boundaries of implementation, but international law takes precedence in key areas.

Internal political stability: The country is traditionally considered a stable parliamentary democracy, but in 2024-2025 there are signs of high political polarization due to the Catalan (and Basque) issue, frequent elections, coalition governance and scandals; the WGI political stability index is 0.29 (2023, moderate level, higher than the European average).

Government Effectiveness (WGI): Government Effectiveness indicator — 1.42 (2023), persistently high; institutions, public administration and the legal system are effective according to most OECD/EU estimates.

E-government (EGDI): Spain is consistently among the top 25 countries in the world according to the EGDI index (2022-2024), the level of digitalization of public services is “very high,” end-to-end national electronic services have been implemented, digital access to basic EU services. Support/trust in the national leader: In 2024-2025, the popularity of the government (the PSOE–Sumar Coalition, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez) is unstable, the level of support is estimated at 18-31%, stable opposition (PP, VOX, regional parties); protest sentiments and electoral polarization are recorded. Foreign military bases: US troops (Rota, Morón, NATO operations) are permanently stationed in Spain, and there are a number of joint US-Spanish facilities.

Participation/distancing from transnational courts: Spain fully recognizes the jurisdiction of the CJEU, makes decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, participates in the International Criminal Court and all judicial bodies of the Council of Europe/the United Nations.

Centralization/decentralization of power: Spain is a complex decentralized monarchy with 17 autonomous communities (regional parliaments, governments, courts, tax collection), but strategy, defense, and foreign policy are Madrid's national priorities.

Transparency and control of intelligence agencies: formally, parliamentary and audit oversight is in place, much of the control is carried out by a Congressional commission, but independent public influence on intelligence agencies is limited, and there is debate about transparency of operations (it is against this background that some high-profile investigations are conducted).

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 87%.

Economic sovereignty — 57.1

GDP per capita (PPP): According to estimates for 2024, GDP per capita according to PPP is 56,926 - 59,556 USD; according to other relevant data — 48,373-56,926 USD (the variation by source is related to the calculation method).

Sovereign gold and foreign exchange reserves: In 2024, total reserve assets (including gold) — 107.8 billion US dollars (data from the IMF, the World Bank, Banco de España); exclusively currency and gold and foreign exchange (excluding government funds) — 62.2 billion USD. Government debt (% of GDP): In 2024, the national debt amounts to 101.8% of GDP (1.62 trillion euros), the dynamics of a moderate decline (against the background of economic growth).

Food security: One of the largest producers of agricultural products in Europe: 85% of domestic demand is covered by its own production, the country exports vegetables, fruits, fish, wine, olive oil, cereals, meat.

Tropical crops, some forages and exotics are imported. Energy independence: In 2024, domestic generation covers 72% of needs; the rest is imports (gas, oil, imported electricity). In the structure of the energy mix: 47.5% of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, biomass), gas and atom (imports). Explored resources: economically significant: high-quality deposits of marble, mining of copper, iron, coal, salt, potash fertilizers; also reserves of uranium, zinc, lead; mineral and thermal waters.

Freshwater reserves: Spain has 256 billion m3 of annual surface and underground reserves (the second largest in the EU in terms of water resources), builds large-scale water supply networks, desalination plants in the south, exports bottled water.

National payment processing: The entire system of clearing and national payments is based on the European platforms TARGET2 (Eurosystem), Spanish the Sociedad Española de Sistemas de Pago (SNCE) infrastructure, as well as developed retail and instant payments (Bizum, Iberpay).

The share of national currency in settlements: 100% of domestic settlements is the euro (the official currency since 2002); the use of foreign currencies is minimal, with the exception of export—import operations. Its own issuing center and credit policy: The Central Bank of Spain (Banco de España) performs issuing functions for Spain within the framework of the single eurozone (the ECB has monetary policy powers); the national center is only responsible for distribution, supervision of Spanish banks and the stability of the system.

GDP per capita (PPP): In 2024, Spain's GDP per capita by PPP is 56,926- 59,556 USD according to various international agencies.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%.

Technological sovereignty — 61.2

R&D expenses (% of GDP): In 2023, R&D spending amounted to 1.49% of GDP (Spain's historical maximum, ranked 28th in the world), and this share has been growing for the past 5 years. Import substitution in high-tech: There are no official strict import substitution programs; most of the critical components, electronics, software and components for the IT sector are imported (EU, USA, Asia).

However, the country has managed to form a significant share of national leading companies in telecom, fintech, biotech and selected ICT sectors. Higher education coverage: According to data for 2024, 52% of young people (25-34 years old) They have completed higher education (OECD — 41.4%), the total student body in universities and colleges is 1.55 million people; women — 58%, men — 46%.

Internet penetration: At the beginning of 2024, Internet penetration is 96.0-96.8% (46-46.5 million users), the median fixed—line speed is 201 Mbit/s, mobile – 41.5 Mbit/s, SIM coverage is 127%. Own national digital platforms: The State Portal Spain.es, AEAT electronic taxation system, Cl@ve digital identification platform, legal and public services portal, pan-European services; there are national fintech and payment solutions (Bizum, Iberpay, Red.es).

High-tech import dependence: One of the highest values in the EU for imports of microelectronics, platforms, and software infrastructures (over 60% of hardware and software in a number of sectors); however, the domestic innovation sector is growing rapidly — 9.6% of all exports are from high-tech.

Digitalization of public services: A single e-Gov standard of the “very high” level (EGDI-2024), coverage of almost 100% (taxes, licenses, social benefits, judicial services, medicine, education). Biotechnological autonomy: The sector is well developed — hundreds of research centers and start-ups, the first place in the EU for registration of biopatents per capita; the leading clusters are in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, but basic laboratory equipment and key components are imported.

Robotic autonomy: The segment of applied robots, automation in industry, logistics is developed (Indra, Tecnalia, GMV — major developments and implementations), but more than 50% of integrated systems and critical components are imported. Autonomy in chips and microelectronics: The PERTE Chip state program (2022-2027) is underway to localize the design and manufacture of microchips, €12 billion of investments have been allocated; so far, the full scale of the industry is below the standard of the leaders (Germany, USA, Taiwan), Spanish microelectronics is concentrated in medicine and specialized sensors.

R&D expenses (% of GDP): In 2023, Spain invested 1.49% of GDP in R&D, which is a historical maximum, corresponding to a place among the 30 leaders of the world, a trend that has been growing moderately in recent years.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which ensures 90% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 73.7

Cybersecurity (CERT/ITU): Spain is in Tier 1 (world leaders) according to the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (2024) — there is a national CERT (INCIBE), a centralized CERT-ES system and network SoCs for the public and private sectors, educational and technical platforms are constantly being implemented, and regulation at the EU level. IXP/Network development: Spain has at least 10 IXPs (Espanix, CATNIX, DE-CIX Madrid/Barcelona, NIXVAL, Euskonix, etc.), the largest network is Espanix (Madrid, over 980 Gbps traffic); the industry is developing, the infrastructure is fully updated according to EU standards, peer-to-peer is supported both between operators and with global BigTech and content providers.

Media in the national language: All national press, TV, radio are mainly in Spanish (Castilian is the official language); in the autonomous regions — Catalan (TV3, Catalunya Radio), Basque, Galician, Valencian, Aragonese.

The main national groups are Atresmedia, Prisa, Mediaset. BigTech Resilience: The country is deeply integrated into the ecosystem of Google, Microsoft, AWS, Meta — all critical cloud, office, analytics, and infrastructure solutions are imported. The public sector is striving to increase “European independence” (Gaia-X, Red.es However, the pattern depends 95% on global platforms. The share of own media content: more than 70% of television and radio is produced in Spain (news, talk shows, series, films, local programs), the rest is imported (Hollywood, Latin American, English).

Own IT products/SOFTWARE: there are developed national software (fintech, banking, telecom, usability, healthcare, industrial IoT and automation); the largest are Bizum, Iberpay, Red.es, XTE, INDRA, GMV, Wallapop, Cabify; however, the underlying OS and office platforms are foreign.

Digital services coverage: almost 97% of citizens actively use at least one digital public services platform, banking, tax offices, medicine, mobile payments — everything works online, eID is integrated with the entire administration. National cloud storage systems: there are government data centers, as well as private ones (Telefonica, Indra, Data4), but a large proportion of the critical sector (clouds, AI, analytics) is located at the facilities of Microsoft, AWS, Google; national projects (Red.es Cloud, Gaia-X infrastructure) only enhance positions of the European centers.

Sovereignty of mobile communications: The mobile communications infrastructure is deployed by Telefónica, Vodafone, Orange; the network of licenses, platforms and equipment is mixed, most of the solutions are French, Chinese or American, but network control is fully under national legislation.

Legal regime of personal data: National LOPDGDD Law and local GDPR adaptation, strong independent regulator (AEPD), strict requirements for the public sector and companies of all sizes; mandatory registration, reporting, incident notification systems, large fines for violations.

Cybersecurity (CERT/ITU): Spain is one of the world leaders (Tier 1 according to ITU GCI 2024), has a national CERT (INCIBE), centralized incident response (CERT-ES), advanced cyber law and ongoing educational campaigns; EU countries and international organizations recognize its cybersecurity as one of the most progressive in Europe.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 86%.

Cultural sovereignty — 89.3

Number of UNESCO sites: As of 2024, Spain has 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (44 cultural, 4 natural and 2 combined); the country ranks 3rd in the world in terms of their number (after Italy and China).

Total contribution to world culture: Spain is one of the main centers of European and Mediterranean culture: architecture and fine arts (Gaudi, Velazquez, Picasso, Miro), world schools of literature, ballet, musical styles, theater, cinema (Almodóvar), luxurious museums and libraries, a system of languages and dialects, a huge contribution to gastronomy, tourism and sports.

National Awards in Art and culture: There are more than 25 national awards in the country: the National Prize for Literature, Architecture, Fine Arts, Cinematography, open Innovations, theater, the Ministry of Culture awards — National Prize for Plastic Arts, Cervantes Prize, Velazquez Award, National Music / Dance Award, etc.; the presentation is accompanied by the highest public attention.

Traditions and identity: Spain is a multicultural country where the Castilian (Spanish), Catalan, Basque, Galician, Andalusian, Aragonese and Valencian cultural and linguistic families are integrated; local traditions (Semana Santa, Feria, Flamenco, San Fermin, Basque sports rituals), dialects and cults are extremely strong. State support for small nations: Guaranteed support for all linguistic, religious and cultural minorities: seven officially recognized languages in the regions, massive subsidies for the preservation and popularization of Basque, Catalan, Galician cultures, support for Gypsy, Arab and Jewish communities.

The number of cultural sites: Hundreds of museums, galleries, archaeological complexes (Museo del Prado, Reina Sofia, Alhambra, Mesquita, Aqueduct of Segovia), national theaters, libraries, concert complexes; individual regions keep their own records of cultural monuments.

International cultural projects: Spain is a leader in international exhibitions, museum exchanges and partnerships (the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Hermitage, UNESCO, the EU, Latin America, Maghreb Heritage), actively participates in joint restorations and educational programs.

Recognition and protection of cultural brands: Names, memorabilia, DO/IGP certified wines, Spanish cuisine, gastronomy brands, cultural sites, musical traditions are protected; state programs “Marca España,” the Law on Historical Heritage, add. laws of the regions. The diversity of culinary culture: The national cuisine integrates Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Galician, Castilian, Mediterranean and African heritage: jamon, paella, tapas, gazpacho, aioli, tortilla, wine, seafood, Spain's place in the world gastronomic ranking is one of the leading.

The proportion of the population involved in cultural life: More than 75% of the adult population regularly attends or participates in concerts, festivals, exhibitions, amateur theaters, and literary seasons; youth participation in culture and education is especially high.

Number of UNESCO sites: As of 2024, Spain has 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the third largest in the world (44 cultural, 4 natural, 2 mixed).

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 86%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 77.6

Human Development Index (HDI): In 2023, for Spain, the HDI is 0.918 (a very high level, ranked 28th in the world). Government spending on education: In 2022, education spending amounted to 4.32% of GDP (7th place among the largest EU economies), or 63.4 billion euros of public spending, of which 67% was government spending by universities.

Adult literacy: Literacy among people aged 15 and over is 99% (World Bank data, 2020). International Test Results (PISA): In the PISA 2022 tests, Spain showed an average score in reading and mathematical literacy (475-480 points), slightly below the OECD average, but consistently higher than a number of EU countries; the problem of the regional gap and weaker indicators in mathematics are fixed.

The share of STEM graduates: ~27.8% of university graduates are STEM (engineering, science, medicine, IT), while women account for about 38.6% of all STEM degrees, engineers are the largest subcategory. The share of foreign educational programs: The number of international students is 4.1% of all students (2022/23), a large share of ERASMUS+ programs, bilateral exchanges and English-speaking master's degree programs; integration with Latin American, Asian, and African universities is increasing.

Languages and cultures of small nations: The official language is Spanish; Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian, and Aragonese are recognized in the regions. Bilingual and trilingual schools and cultural programs are officially operating in the regions, and small languages and ethnic cultures (Gypsies, Africans, and immigrants) are subsidized. Number of state research centers (fundamental sciences): There are more than 80 public R&D centers (CSIC and networks of Spanish institutes), including fundamental clusters in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Murcia; there is a national system of research grants and academies.

The share of the national educational platforms: about 75% of secondary and 55% of university platforms are national or localized (Aula Virtual, Mooc, EduCaixa, UNED, Red.es However, some universities use English-language LMS or mixed platforms.

The scope of state programs to support talents/personnel: A multi-level system of scholarships, grant competitions, programs for young professors and researchers, awards for talent (Talento Joven, Ramon y Cajal programs), financing scientific and educational exchanges through public and private foundations.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 82%.

Military sovereignty — 56.9

Defense spending (% of GDP): In 2024, Spain for the first time reached 2% of GDP for military expenditures according to the NATO standard (previously — 1.24–1.51%); absolute expenditures: 21.3 billion dollars in 2024, in 2025-33.1 billion euros (43% growth per year). The number of armed forces: In 2025 — 120,000-140,000 military personnel (growth plan to 140,000 by 2030), reserve — 15,000 people; another ~ 75,000 Civil Guard personnel deployed in emergency situations.

Modern weapons: The army is equipped with modern Leopard 2E tanks, Pizarro, VCR Dragon armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles, armored vehicles, ATP SIAC long-range artillery, SILAM MLRS, modern S80 submarines, F100/F110 frigates, an aircraft carrier, Eurofighter and F/A—18 fighters; it is armed with modern missile systems, NASAMS air defense, Patriot, etc.

The share of its own weapons is significant: the national military-industrial complex (Navantia, Indra, Sener, Santa Barbara, Tecnobit, Airbus Spain, Uro VAMTAC, Expal, Instalaza, etc.) supplies up to 50-60% of equipment (reservations, ships, land equipment, part of electronics), critical components/air defense, heavy equipment and aviation/air defense — import with joint integration.

Border control: The Schengen Area; control is carried out by Guardia Civil and Policía Nacional, EES/ETIAS, biometric corridors and IT infrastructure are used. From 2024-2026, a new EU Entry-Exit System is being implemented — turnstiles with biometrics at all airports, train stations, sea and land checkpoints. Military reserve: 15,000-17,000 reservists, mobilization capacity — up to 210 thousand people (according to GPS and ratings). Autonomy of military decisions: The entire strategy is developed in conjunction with NATO, the EU, national allies in southern Europe and the Mediterranean; key decisions on military policy are made at the government level, but with mandatory consideration of alliance obligations.

National military industry: One of the largest defense clusters in Europe — hundreds of concerns, the military-industrial complex produces armored vehicles, artillery ships, small arms, electronic warfare, small aircraft, drones, software, exports products to 50+ countries around the world.

The presence of nuclear weapons, the number of warheads, there is no absolute reserve; Spain is a nuclear-weapon-free country, complies with the non-proliferation regime, the Tlatelolco Treaty and the NPT; there is no deployment of nuclear weapons by the Allies.

Military space, national Intelligence system: It has autonomous military communications and reconnaissance satellites (PAZ, SpaINSAT), ARES and NANOSTAR programs, a defense satellite constellation and national space programs, its own CNI intelligence service with a military section, and actively cooperates with the EU and NATO.

Defense spending (% of GDP): In 2024, Spain reached military spending of 2% of GDP for the first time at the request of NATO, with absolute costs of about $21.3 billion, and a large budget increase in 2025 to 33.1 billion euros.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state-owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and UN/NGO industry databases – 85% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. High level of human development: HDI is 0.918 (28th in the world), literacy is 99%, higher education coverage is 52% (above the EU average), large-scale talent programs, a well-developed system of research centers, strong results of international educational tests.

Macroeconomic stability and growth: 2025 is one of the leaders in economic growth in the EU (+3.2% in 2024, +2.5% in 2025 according to the IMF), a large domestic market, record employment and attractiveness for immigration and investment, long-term growth in tourism.

Cultural, linguistic and national identity: Spain ranks 3rd in the world in terms of the number of UNESCO sites (50), one of the leading countries in world culture, music, cuisine and tourism, active government support for small nations, languages and cultural brands.

Modern infrastructure and digitalization: Almost complete digitalization of public services (97% coverage), high Internet speeds, the largest IXP network in the region, the national fintech ecosystem Bizum/Iberpay is developed.

The sovereign military-industrial base: The military-industrial complex provides 50-60% of equipment and weapons; its own space and intelligence programs, a modern army, active participation in NATO and the EU, and the PERTE Chip semiconductor development program. Weaknesses. High unemployment and employment gap: Total unemployment is 11.7% (higher than the European average), especially among young people and low-skilled personnel; qualified specialists often go abroad.

Import dependence in high-tech and microelectronics: 60% of equipment and software solutions are imported, dependence on world leaders (USA, Asia, EU) for a number of critical IT products, including chips and high-tech platforms. High government debt: In 2024-101.8% of GDP (1.62 trillion euros), which creates long-term macroeconomic risks, despite relatively high reserves.

Regional polarization and political fragmentation: A complex model of autonomies, acute Catalan/Basque issues, high levels of electoral and political polarization, and frequent changes in coalitions. Rising prices, housing/electricity costs: Large cities have high living and real estate costs, significant utility bills, and problems with affordable housing for young people.

Part of the military/IT/defense infrastructure is based on imported components: Some areas are critically dependent on American or Asian technologies, despite the important successes of the national military-industrial complex and cluster programs.

Overall, the cumulative Spanish sovereignty Index is 482.6 out of 700 possible points (above the average of 68.9%), which places the country in the top 50 in the global top. Spain is a developed European democracy with a diverse culture, high-tech economy, modern social infrastructure, huge tourism potential and a powerful scientific and educational sector.

However, the structural constraints of the economy, import dependence in critical high-tech, high government debt and regional challenges continue to constrain its long-term absolute strategic and innovative independence.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Spain in 2025 is a developed, dynamic European country with a significant level of institutional, financial, humanitarian and cultural sovereignty, a modern defense complex and a strong scientific and educational base.

At the same time, its independence is limited by high import dependence in key techno-sectors, structural challenges of the labor market, regional fragmentation and the level of public debt, which requires continued reforms and diversification.