Capital of Spain: Madrid
The capital of Spain is Madrid. Spain sits in Europe, has a population of 47,558,630, and uses the EUR. Official languages include Spanish.
Quick facts
- Capital: Madrid
- Continent: Europe
- Population: ~47,558,630
- Area: 505,992 km²
- Population density: 94.0 people per km²
- Official language: Spanish
- Currency: EUR
- ISO code: ES
How big is Spain?
By population, Spain ranks 30th in the world, holding roughly 0.60% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 51st.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Spain has 94.0 people per square kilometre, which is somewhat above the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.
Within Europe, Spain is the 6th most populous country of 46.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Spain in population are Uganda (47,249,585) and Sudan (46,874,204).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Thailand (513,120 km²) and Turkmenistan (488,100 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.
The EUR is not unique to Spain — it is also used by Andorra, Austria, Belgium and Croatia, and 21 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Spain in Europe
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Russia, Germany, United Kingdom and France.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Europe is the block Spain belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Spain and a page on the flag of Spain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Spain?
The capital of Spain is Madrid.
What is the population of Spain?
About 47,558,630, making it the 30th most populous country in the world.
How big is Spain?
505,992 square kilometres, ranking 51st by land area, at a density of 94.0 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Spain use?
The EUR, shared with 25 other countries.