Catalonia’s GDP growth reached 2.7% in 2025. This figure slightly trailed the Spanish national average but surpassed the Catalan government’s own expectations. Data released by the Catalan Institute of Statistics (Idescat) reveals a resilient economy. Despite a slowdown compared to the previous year, it continues to outperform the wider European Union.
The 2.7% expansion is one-tenth of a percentage point below the Spanish average. However, it is two-tenths higher than the 2.5% forecast issued by the Generalitat last October. Consequently, the data highlights an economy that has successfully navigated international uncertainties. This performance was driven largely by a robust construction sector and a surprising rebound in agriculture.
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Catalonia GDP Growth Outperforms the European Average
Despite a deceleration from the 3.6% growth seen in 2024, Catalonia remains well ahead of its European neighbours. The region’s 2.7% growth stands in stark contrast to the EU average of 1.6%. Meanwhile, major economies such as Germany (0.3%), France (0.9%), and Italy (0.7%) posted significantly more modest figures for the same period.
Economy Minister Alícia Romero welcomed the results. She noted the strength of the Catalan economy “especially taking into account the risks in the international context”.
Construction and Agriculture Lead Catalonia’s GDP Growth
In a shift from previous years, every major sector of the Catalan economy recorded positive annual variations in 2025. While the services sector remains the heavyweight of the economy, construction and agriculture posted the most dynamic growth figures.
- Construction: Surged by 5.3%, a significant leap from the 1.7% recorded in 2024.
- Agriculture: Grew by 7.2%, recovering strongly from the previous year.
- Services: Expanded by 3.0%, driven by hospitality, vehicle sales, and professional activities.
- Industry: Posted a moderate 1.8% growth, supported by pharmaceuticals and vehicle manufacturing.
Quarterly Performance and 2026 Outlook for Catalonia GDP
The fourth quarter of 2025 showed a year-on-year GDP increase of 2.4%. This confirmed a trend of gradual slowing throughout the year, starting at 3.3% in the first quarter. In contrast, the quarter-on-quarter growth of 0.9% actually outpaced the Spanish economy slightly (0.8%). Furthermore, it was triple the EU rate (0.3%).
Looking ahead, the Catalan executive anticipates the cooling trend to continue. It projects a growth rate of 2.1% for 2026. However, these figures must be viewed alongside trends like rising poverty risk in Catalonia. Nevertheless, with the current momentum in key sectors like construction, the economy appears well-positioned to maintain stability relative to the broader Eurozone.
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