The BBVA Foundation and the Valencian Economic Research Institute (Ivie) have been publishing regular estimates of capital stock in Spain since 1995. The present volume continues the series, while providing a first-time overview of public sector investment activity from as far back as 1900. i.e., spanning over a century of Spain’s history.

The statistical information contained in this book, facilitates analysis of the public sector’s investment strategy with regard to such key growth and welfare components as infrastructure, health or education.

Public-sector investment series are displayed by expenditure head and investing agent for a period stretching from 1900 to 2005. Public capital stock series follow the same classification by item but omit the breakdown by investing agent in view of the multiple changes occurring in the ownership of existing capital over the long period analyzed and, especially, in the last twenty-five years. Series also offer a distribution by autonomous community and province, providing a window onto the territorial evolution of public capital since the start of the 20th century, while facilitating the evaluation of public policies and the extent to which public capital has served as a determinant of regional growth and convergence.

Scholars and general readers will find in its pages material of interest which elucidates the role of the public sector over past decades and suggests new angles for confronting today’s economic problems.