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Date Published: 03/12/2025

Spain's population smashes records again: now closing in on 50 million thanks to newcomers

Immigration drives 1% growth as foreigners hit 14.1%, boosting expat havens like Alicante

Earlier this year, we saw Spain's population smash through the 49 million mark for the first time. INE figures confirm it's climbed even higher to 49,128,297 on January 1 2025, adding 508,602 people in 2024 despite stubbornly low Spanish birth rates.

All that growth comes from immigration, with foreign nationals currently at 6,911,971 (14.1% of the population) while Spanish numbers rose just 0.2% and now show that 42,216,326 hold Spanish nationality (85.9%).

Moroccans lead at 968,999, followed by Colombians (676,534) and Romanians (609,270). Biggest jumps were Colombians (+98,057), Venezuelans (+52,555), and Moroccans (+48,306), though UK residents dipped by 5,940. Proportional surges topped out with Peruvians (18.6%), Colombians (17%), and Venezuelans (16.2%).

In Alicante, foreigners bought twice as many homes as in Málaga, fuelling the Costa Blanca's appeal amid this wave. The Valencian Community gained 105,897 residents, with Alicante province up 2% alongside Castellón and Guadalajara. Hotspots like Torrevieja surged 4.9%, Benidorm 3.5%, and Gandía 3.6%.

Andalucía added 44,851 to reach 8,676,713, mostly from 900,913 foreigners, topped by Moroccans (182,112) and Brits (82,624). Growth hit everywhere except Extremadura, led by Catalonia (111,895) and Madrid (104,618).

Spain's getting older too: over-64s now 20.7% (double 1975's 10.2%), under-16s down 1.4%, working-age up 1.1%. Average age? 44.6 years. Married folks are 45.8%, singles 34.9%, widows mostly women (83%).

These INE figures underscore Spain's demographic evolution, with immigration offsetting low birth rates in an ageing population where over-64s comprise 20.7%, and projections point to nearly 50 million by year-end. Expats and residents can track precise local changes through the INE website.

You might also be interested in: Spanish opposition calls for stricter residency requirements for foreign immigrants

Image: JoshuaWoroniecki/Pixabay

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