Number of cattle in Spain
Spain: Number of cattle was 6.17 million animals in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
6.17 million animals
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
44th
of 197 countries
All-time high
6.65 million animals
in 2004
All-time low
3.64 million animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of cattle in Spain, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of cattle in Spain is 6.17 million animals, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of cattle in Spain peaked at 6.65 million animals in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3.64 million animals, in 1961.
That places Spain 44th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Number of cattle in Spain, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.64 million animals | — |
| 1962 | 3.66 million animals | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 3.68 million animals | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 3.67 million animals | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 3.70 million animals | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 3.69 million animals | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 3.84 million animals | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 4.00 million animals | +4.1% |
| 1969 | 4.18 million animals | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 4.29 million animals | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 4.24 million animals | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 4.25 million animals | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 4.48 million animals | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 4.41 million animals | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 4.42 million animals | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 4.41 million animals | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 4.50 million animals | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 4.71 million animals | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 4.62 million animals | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 4.68 million animals | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 4.53 million animals | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 5.08 million animals | +12.0% |
| 1983 | 5.02 million animals | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 5.00 million animals | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 5.01 million animals | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 4.95 million animals | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 4.79 million animals | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 5.09 million animals | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 5.06 million animals | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 5.19 million animals | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 5.13 million animals | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 5.06 million animals | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 4.98 million animals | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 5.02 million animals | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 5.25 million animals | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 5.51 million animals | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 5.92 million animals | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 5.88 million animals | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 5.96 million animals | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 6.22 million animals | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 6.41 million animals | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 6.48 million animals | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 6.55 million animals | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 6.65 million animals | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 6.46 million animals | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 6.18 million animals | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 6.58 million animals | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 6.02 million animals | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 6.08 million animals | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 6.08 million animals | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.92 million animals | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 5.81 million animals | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 5.70 million animals | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 6.08 million animals | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 6.18 million animals | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 6.26 million animals | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 6.47 million animals | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 6.51 million animals | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 6.60 million animals | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 6.64 million animals | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 6.58 million animals | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 6.46 million animals | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 6.29 million animals | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 6.17 million animals | -1.9% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 6.17 million animals is above the median for high income countries, which is 595,200 animals, 10.4× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Spain's 6.17 million animals is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.40 million animals, 4.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.79 million animals | 3.64 million animals | 4.18 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.43 million animals | 4.24 million animals | 4.71 million animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.92 million animals | 4.53 million animals | 5.09 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.39 million animals | 4.98 million animals | 5.96 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.36 million animals | 6.02 million animals | 6.65 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.16 million animals | 5.70 million animals | 6.60 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.43 million animals | 6.17 million animals | 6.64 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More agriculture & rural data for Spain
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0268 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,036 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0113 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1949 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of cattle in Spain?
- Number of cattle in Spain was 6.17 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of cattle recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 6.65 million animals in 2004.
- What is the lowest number of cattle recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.64 million animals in 1961.
- How does Spain rank for number of cattle?
- Spain ranks 44th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of cattle rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of cattle. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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