How Many Books Do Spain Citizens Read Per Year

Table of Contents

• 1. Average Books Read Per Year
• 2. Reading For Leisure vs Work
• 3. Who Reads More?
• 4. Non-Readers in Spain
• References
• Images Sources

1. Average Books Read Per Year

most Spaniards clock in at around nine to ten books a year.

That's the national ballpark figure.

It's not sky-high like in some northern European countries, but its also not as low as people sometime joke.

If you think about it, ten books across twelve months isnt too crazy.

it's basically one book every five or six weeks.

some folks blow past that, others barely finish one, but the average evens things out.

the funny part is that surveys show numbers from different sources, some say 9, others 10.2.

Either way, its right in that "about ten" sweet spot.

and yes, these stats include everything: the big fat novel you stayed up until 2 a.m.

finishing, the book you had to slog through for work, and even those study guides for school.

It's worth noting that Spain usually lands somewhere in the top 10 worldwide when it comes to reading volume.

that's not bad at all for a mediterranean country where sunshine is calling people outside.

Also, the averages are shaped by the readers who go big.

if you read 30 books in a year, you're pulling the national score upward quite a bit.

At the same time, theres a solid chunk of the population who dont read a single book in a year, which drags the number down.

so that 9-10 range is a bit of a balancing act.

Here's a quick snapshot:

2. Reading For Leisure vs Work

One big detail: when the studies count "books read," they dont separate fun from duty.

It all goes in the same basket.

So if you're slogging through a legal manual or a history textbook, congrats, you're helping spain's average go up.

For students, especially younger people, a lot of their "reading" technically counts as study-related, but they're still in the statistics.

Leisure reading is more common than it used to be, though.

In fact, surveys in recent years show that people picking up books for pure enjoyment have been climbing past the 65% mark.

that's the first time its ever gone that high in spain, which is a big deal considering the stereotype that people dont read much outside of school.

It's not all novels either.

Non-fiction, self-help, and professional books are part of the picture too.

Spaniards aren't just reading stories; they're also trying to learn, grow, and keep up with their work.

the balance is clear: the "average books per year" figure is always a mix of passion and obligation.

in short, yes, Spain reads for both reasons, and the numbers dont play favorites between them.

3. Who Reads More?

the gap between men and women is clear: women read more.

The numbers aren't a little higher, they're significantly higher.

For example, surveys show that about 72% of women are regular readers compared to men lagging behind in every age group.

age also plays a huge role.

Teenagers and young adults are at the top of the reading chart, with around 75% saying they read in their free time.

As you move up in age brackets, the reading rate drops.

older generations are just less likely to sit down with a book.

part of this might be time.

younger people, especially students, are used to mixing in books with daily life.

For older adults, tV and other media sometimes take over.

another factor is digital reading.

Young Spaniards are way more comfortable reading ebooks or even listening to audiobooks, which keeps their numbers strong.

women also seem to pass on the reading bug more often, whether to kids, peers, or even at work.

that cultural influence matters.

Here's the gist in a nutshell:

4. Non-Readers in Spain

Now, here's the other side of the story: a lot of people in Spain just dont read books at all.

the data shows that roughly one-third of the population says they rarely or never pick up a book.

That's not a tiny sliver, its a big chunk.

the main excuse people give?

not enough time.

daily life gets in the way, and books take a back seat.

Some also say they simply dont enjoy it.

reading is seen by them as boring or too much effort compared to tV, social media, or podcasts.

This has been fairly consistent for years.

The percentage of non-readers hovers around 34-36%, so its not really shrinking much.

publishers and cultural groups in Spain try to change this with campaigns, book fairs, and events, but its an uphill battle.

It's not unique to Spain either.

Most countries have a sizeable group that doesnt read books, even in places with high averages.

So while the averages look decent, they hide this divide: regular readers vs non-readers, with not much middle ground.

So what's the takeaway?

on average, Spaniards read about ten books a year, mixing both work and fun.

women and young people carry most of that load, while about a third of the population never even cracks open a book.

that makes Spain an interesting case: plenty of enthusiasm from one part of the population, and almost total indifference from another.

if you're a reader, you're already above millions of people in spain who skip books altogether.

if you're not, well, you're definitely not alone.

And that's the big picture of Spanish reading habits right now: steady, average numbers, but split between lovers and avoiders of books.

Sources and References

• CEOWORLD: Countries That Read the Most Books 2024

• El Confidencial / FGEE Barómetro 2021 Data

• El País: Young people lead Spanish reading habits (2025)

• Cadena SER: Leisure readers surpass 65% for the first time in Spain (2025)

• Todo Alicante: Survey on Spanish reading habits 2025

• ManualProofer: Spanish book publishers report 2023

Images Sources and Attributions

All images used within this page have been sourced from Wikimedia Commons. They are used here strictly for informational and illustrative purposes.