Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies

Bilbao had the highest active companies of 251 municipalities in 2021, at 26,110. Gaztelu had the lowest, at 4. The median was 91 and the figure for Basque Country was 139,824. Source: the Instituto Nacional de Estadística.

Highest26,110Bilbao

Lowest4Gaztelu

Median91251 municipalities

Basque Country139,824History

Top 40 municipalities, 2021

count. Source: INE, Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Municipalities	2021 count	Change on 2020
1	Bilbao	26,110	-2.8%
2	Donostia/San Sebastián	15,640	-2%
3	Vitoria-Gasteiz	13,765	-1.3%
4	Getxo	5,690	-2.2%
5	Barakaldo	4,848	-1.7%
6	Irun	4,409	-3.9%
7	Basauri	2,265	-0.7%
8	Portugalete	2,059	-5.6%
9	Santurtzi	2,045	-1%
10	Leioa	2,015	-5.2%
11	Errenteria	1,984	-2.9%
12	Galdakao	1,775	-3.2%
13	Erandio	1,743	-2.4%
14	Zarautz	1,619	-1.7%
15	Durango	1,613	-0.9%
16	Eibar	1,506	-1.2%
17	Hernani	1,326	-3.6%
18	Mungia	1,317	-2.5%
19	Amorebieta-Etxano	1,287	-0.5%
20	Hondarribia	1,171	-0.3%
21	Tolosa	1,140	-4.8%
22	Sestao	1,070	-3.4%
23	Gernika-Lumo	1,059	-0.1%
24	Azpeitia	1,014	-0.7%
25	Lasarte-Oria	999	-0.3%
26	Arrasate/Mondragón	981	-3.1%
27	Oiartzun	976	-2%
28	Valle de Trápaga-Trapagaran	889	-1.8%
29	Bermeo	873	0%
30	Sopela	865	+0.1%
31	Pasaia	833	-4%
32	Laudio/Llodio	826	-3.4%
33	Andoain	807	-2.7%
34	Beasain	776	-2.5%
35	Bergara	769	-4.9%
36	Arrigorriaga	723	-2.6%
37	Ermua	713	-3.4%
38	Astigarraga	692	0%
39	Etxebarri	678	-0.6%
40	Elgoibar	662	-5.3%
41	Derio	637	-5.5%
42	Ordizia	616	-0.3%
43	Amurrio	596	-0.8%
44	Zamudio	586	-5%
45	Abanto y Ciérvana-Abanto Zierbena	580	-3.3%
46	Azkoitia	578	-3.8%
47	Zalla	531	+0.4%
48	Zumaia	529	-2.6%
49	Oñati	510	-3.2%
50	Usurbil	474	-1.7%
51	Ortuella	464	-3.5%
52	Sondika	455	-1.5%
53	Abadiño	454	-0.2%
54	Urnieta	450	-0.2%
55	Lezo	446	-4.7%
56	Zumarraga	426	-5.5%
57	Berango	424	0%
58	Balmaseda	422	-0.5%
59	Ondarroa	417	-4.4%
60	Urretxu	405	-6%
61	Deba	395	+0.5%
61	Legazpi	395	-6%
63	Güeñes	392	+0.5%
64	Muskiz	377	+1.3%
65	Elorrio	363	+0.8%
66	Lekeitio	361	+1.1%
67	Gorliz	355	-3.5%
68	Loiu	353	-0.8%
68	Orio	353	-0.6%
70	Aretxabaleta	304	-6.5%
71	Plentzia	302	-0.3%
72	Urduliz	288	-4.3%
73	Markina-Xemein	287	+0.3%
74	Berriz	285	-3.7%
75	Lazkao	276	+0.7%
76	Iurreta	271	+3.8%
77	Igorre	253	-1.9%
77	Laguardia	253	-1.9%
79	Oyón-Oion	250	-1.6%
80	Villabona	248	-3.5%
81	Zestoa	236	-4.1%
82	Mutriku	233	-4.5%
83	Lemoa	231	-2.5%
84	Ibarra	225	-5.9%
85	Agurain/Salvatierra	222	-4.7%
86	Ugao-Miraballes	219	-4.8%
87	Legutio	211	-4.5%
88	Iruña Oka/Iruña de Oca	209	+1.5%
89	Urduña/Orduña	201	+1%
90	Bakio	192	-4%
91	Getaria	190	-1.6%
91	Zaldibar	190	+2.7%
93	Lezama	187	+1.6%
94	Alonsotegi	186	+0.5%
95	Alegría-Dulantzi	169	+9%
96	Soraluze-Placencia de las Armas	167	-6.2%
97	Aia	164	-4.1%
98	Irura	163	+1.2%
99	Ayala/Aiara	162	+1.9%
99	Eskoriatza	162	-0.6%
101	Zaratamo	159	+1.3%
102	Asteasu	158	-3.1%
103	Sopuerta	152	-4.4%
103	Zuia	152	-4.4%
105	Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza	150	-4.5%
106	Zizurkil	147	-3.3%
107	Larrabetzu	145	+0.7%
108	Gordexola	143	+1.4%
109	Idiazabal	139	-4.8%
109	Mallabia	139	-9.2%
111	Orozko	133	-0.7%
112	Zigoitia	129	+1.6%
113	Zierbena	121	+5.2%
114	Gatika	118	-7.8%
115	Anoeta	113	-0.9%
116	Labastida/Bastida	111	+0.9%
117	Artziniega	107	+2.9%
117	Mendaro	107	-6.1%
119	Barrika	103	-10.4%
120	Gamiz-Fika	102	-1.9%
121	Mundaka	98	-3%
122	Alegia	95	+1.1%
123	Antzuola	92	-5.2%
123	Laukiz	92	-5.2%
125	Bedia	91	-9.9%
125	Dima	91	+2.2%
127	Zaldibia	90	-6.3%
128	Muxika	89	-8.2%
129	Arrankudiaga-Zollo	88	-12%
130	Asparrena	85	+3.7%
131	Zegama	83	-1.2%
132	Aduna	80	-4.8%
132	Atxondo	80	-2.4%
134	Busturia	79	-4.8%
134	Olaberria	79	+8.2%
134	Urkabustaiz	79	+12.9%
137	Zeanuri	77	+1.3%
138	Elgeta	76	+4.1%
139	Berriatua	75	-9.6%
140	Ataun	74	-5.1%
140	Lapuebla de Labarca	74	0%
140	Okondo	74	+1.4%
140	Zeberio	74	-6.3%
144	Ormaiztegi	73	-9.9%
145	Lanciego/Lantziego	71	+1.4%
146	Lemoiz	69	+6.2%
147	Legorreta	68	0%
148	Ezkio-Itsaso	67	0%
149	Areatza	66	-2.9%
149	Barrundia	66	+11.9%
149	Elciego	66	+4.8%
149	Lantarón	66	-1.5%
149	Valdegovía/Gaubea	66	-4.3%
154	Arratzua-Ubarrundia	64	-5.9%
154	Artea	64	-1.5%
156	Ribera Baja/Erriberabeitia	62	+6.9%
157	Campezo/Kanpezu	61	+8.9%
157	Maruri-Jatabe	61	+1.7%
159	Erriberagoitia/Ribera Alta	60	-1.6%
159	Segura	60	+7.1%
161	Gautegiz Arteaga	59	+7.3%
162	Otxandio	57	0%
163	Berastegi	55	-8.3%
164	Ea	54	-3.6%
165	Belauntza	52	+4%
166	Forua	50	-10.7%
167	Aizarnazabal	48	0%
168	Aramaio	46	0%
168	Etxebarria	46	-11.5%
168	Galdames	46	-11.5%
171	Arraia-Maeztu	45	+15.4%
171	Villabuena de Álava/Eskuernaga	45	-8.2%
173	Amezketa	43	-4.4%
174	Artzentales	42	-8.7%
174	Berantevilla	42	-6.7%
174	Ibarrangelu	42	-4.5%
177	Mañaria	41	-6.8%
178	Gabiria	39	-4.9%
178	Lizartza	39	+2.6%
180	Elburgo/Burgelu	37	-7.5%
181	Baños de Ebro/Mañueta	36	-5.3%
182	Errigoiti	35	+2.9%
182	Ispaster	35	+12.9%
184	Arrieta	34	+3%
184	Iruraiz-Gauna	34	+3%
184	Leaburu	34	+21.4%
184	Meñaka	34	-10.5%
188	Fruiz	33	-2.9%
189	Errezil	32	-3%
190	Bidania-Goiatz	31	+3.3%
190	Izurtza	31	+3.3%
190	Mendexa	31	-3.1%
193	Ajangiz	30	+11.1%
193	Altzo	30	-6.3%
193	Itsasondo	30	+3.4%
196	Ikaztegieta	29	+3.6%
197	Bernedo	27	+3.8%
197	San Millán/Donemiliaga	27	-18.2%
199	Trucios-Turtzioz	26	+8.3%
200	Aulesti	25	-10.7%
200	Samaniego	25	-10.7%
202	Albiztur	24	+20%
202	Garai	24	+9.1%
202	Gizaburuaga	24	-14.3%
205	Elvillar/Bilar	23	-11.5%
205	Morga	23	0%
205	Zambrana	23	-4.2%
208	Abaltzisketa	22	-4.3%
208	Berrobi	22	+4.8%
210	Arantzazu	21	-4.5%
210	Kortezubi	21	-4.5%
210	Larraul	21	+5%
210	Mendata	21	+16.7%
214	Alkiza	20	-23.1%
214	Arama	20	-4.8%
214	Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz	20	+5.3%
217	Navaridas	19	0%
217	Sukarrieta	19	0%
219	Kuartango	18	-10%
219	Peñacerrada-Urizaharra	18	0%
219	Zerain	18	-5.3%
222	Amoroto	17	+6.3%
223	Arakaldo	16	-5.9%
223	Moreda de Álava/Moreda Araba	16	0%
223	Ziortza-Bolibar	16	+14.3%
226	Beizama	15	-6.3%
226	Hernialde	15	-11.8%
226	Mutiloa	15	0%
229	Añana	14	0%
229	Arratzu	14	0%
229	Leintz-Gatzaga	14	0%
229	Murueta	14	-6.7%
229	Yécora/Iekora	14	0%
234	Altzaga	13	-7.1%
234	Elantxobe	13	+18.2%
234	Lanestosa	13	0%
234	Nabarniz	13	+18.2%
238	Armiñón	12	-20%
238	Harana/Valle de Arana	12	+20%
238	Leza	12	-14.3%
238	Zalduondo	12	-7.7%
242	Baliarrain	11	0%
242	Orendain	11	+10%
244	Elduain	10	0%
244	Ereño	10	-9.1%
244	Lagrán	10	-9.1%
244	Orexa	10	0%
248	Ubide	6	0%
249	Kripan	5	0%
250	Gaintza	4	0%

Showing the top 250 of 251. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Active companies on 1 January (INE Central Business Directory, DIRCE).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the municipalities are compared on one definition. 1 municipalities with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (2026). Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721) (Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721

MLA 9

Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721), Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021. Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 7 Oct. 2026, https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Instituto Nacional de Estadística. 2026. Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021.

Harvard

Instituto Nacional de Estadística (2026) Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721), Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{instituto_municipalities_in_basque_country_2021,
  author = {{Instituto Nacional de Estadística}},
  title = {{Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721): Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - Instituto Nacional de Estadística
TI  - Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721): Municipalities in Basque Country by active companies, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
PB  - Instituto Nacional de Estadística
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/active-companies/basque-country-municipalities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=4721. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

Which municipality has the highest active companies?

Bilbao, with 26,110 in 2021, according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística.

Which municipality has the lowest active companies?

Gaztelu, with 4 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Directorio central de empresas: empresas activas por municipio (tabla 4721). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 1 municipalities have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.