As of 2010, there were over 6 million foreign-born residents in Spain,
corresponding to 14% of the total population. Of these, 4.1 million were
born outside the European Union and 2.3 million were born in another EU Member
State. Because of its location in the Iberian
Peninsula, the Canary islands and two exclaves in Northern Africa, the
territory comprising modern Spain has always been at the crossroads of human
migration, having harboured many waves of historical immigration. The Spanish
Empire, one of the first global empires and one of the largest in the world,
spanned all inhabited continents and throughout the years people from these
lands emigrated to Spain in varying numbers.
In migration terms and after centuries of net emigration, Spain has recently
experienced large-scale immigration for the first time in modern history.
According to the Spanish government, there were 5,598,691 foreign residents
in January 2010. Of these, well over one million and a half were from Latin
America, three quarters of a million were Moroccan, while immigrants and
expatriates from the European Union member states amounted more than two
million. Chinese are estimated to number 145,425, while South East Asian groups
such as Filipinos—whose country was a former Spanish possession—created a
small community in Spain. Immigrants from several sub-Saharan African
countries have also settled in Spain as contract workers, although they
represent only 4.08% of all the foreign residents in the country.
The population of Spain doubled during the 20th century due to the spectacular
demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s. The birth rate then plunged by
the 1980s, and Spain's population became stagnant, its demographics showing one
of the lowest sub-replacement fertility rate in the world..
During the early 21st century, the average year-on-year demographic growth
set a new record with its 2003 peak variation of 2.1%, doubling the previous
record reached back in the 1960s when a mean year on year growth of 1% was
experienced. This trend is far from being reversed at the present moment
and, in 2005 alone, the immigrant population of Spain increased by 700,000
people. Currently
According to the Spanish government, there were 5.6 million foreign residents
in Spain in 2010; independent estimates put the figure 14% of total population.
According to the official 2011 census data, almost 800,000 were Romanian,
774,000 were Moroccan, 317,000 were Ecuadorian, 312,000 were British and
250,000 were Colombian [12]. Other important foreign communities are
Bolivian, German, Italian, Bulgarian, Chinese and Argentine. In 2005, a
regularization programme increased the legal immigrant population by 700,000
people. Since 2000 Spain has experienced high population growth as a result of
immigration flows, despite a birth rate that is only half of the replacement
level. This sudden and ongoing inflow of immigrants, particularly those arriving
clandestinely by sea, has caused noticeable social tensions.
According to Eurostat, in 2010, there were 6.4 million foreign-born residents
in Spain, corresponding to 14.0% of the total population. Of these, 4.1 million
were born outside the EU and 2.3 million were born in another EU Member State.
As of 2005 Spain had the second highest immigration rates within the EU, just
after Cyprus, and the second highest absolute net migration in the World.
This can be explained by a number of reasons including its geographical
position, the porosity of its borders, the large size of its underground
economy and the strength of the agricultural and construction sectors
which demand more low cost labour than can be offered by the national
workforce. In fact, booming Spain was Europe's largest absorber of migrants
from 2002 to 2007, with its immigrant population more than doubling as 2.5
million people arrived. Over 920,000 immigrants arrived in Spain
during 2007, on top of the 802,971 new arrivals in 2006, 682,711 new arrivals
in 2005, and 645,844 new arrivals in 2004.
Although the number of immigrants in Spain, officially, is smaller than that
of other countries in the EU, the following data should be taken into
consideration: Immigrants from countries belonging to
the former Spanish Empire can obtain Spanish nationality after legal and
continuous residence of 2 years in Spain, after which naturalized citizens
are no longer counted as immigrants. In order to avoid statelessness, Spain
automatically grants Spanish nationality to the children of immigrants born in
Spain whose parents' nationality of origin is not transferred jus sanguinis
upon their child's birth abroad. Unlike other countries of the EU that do not do
it. It is for this reason that although the Latin American immigrants of origin
are most numerous, the Romanians or the Moroccans surpassed them in the official
statistics. In the same way the majority of children
born in Spain between 2000 and 2010 are children of immigrants despite not
counting as such. Considering these data, there are sectors of Spanish
society who oppose immigration that affirm the real number of immigrants in
Spain is 10–11 million, or about 25% of the total population.
As for other nationalities than Spanish speaking, in order to stay in Spain for
more than 3 months, it's required a residence card, residence visa or work
permit. Immigrants from the European Union
Immigrants from the European Union make up a growing proportion of immigrants in
Spain. The main countries of origin are Romania, the United Kingdom, Germany,
Italy, and Bulgaria. The British authorities estimate that
the real population of UK citizens living in Spain is much bigger than
Spanish official figures suggest, establishing them at about 1,000,000,
about 800,000 being permanent residents. Of these, according to the BBC and
contrary to popular belief, only about 21.5% are over the age of 65.
In fact, according to the Financial Times, Spain is the most favoured
destination for West Europeans considering to move from their own
country and seek jobs elsewhere in the EU.
Major immigration European Union member states are
indicated with the EU flag in regional European sub-divisions.
(2007dates) [13] [14]
2011: INE (2013dates) [15]
From other countries – Europe European Union member states are
indicated with the EU flag in regional European sub-divisions.
From other countries – Africa Source: [16]
From other countries – Central America From other countries – North America
From other countries – Asia From other countries – Oceania
Comparison with other countries from European Union
According to Eurostat 47.3 million people lived in the European Union in
2010 who were born outside their resident country. This corresponds to
9.4% of the total EU population. Of these, 31.4 million were born outside
the EU and 16.0 million were born in another EU member state. The largest
absolute numbers of people born outside the EU were in Germany, France, the
United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Irregular migration Irregular migration to Spain is the act
of foreign nationals entering Spain, without government permission and in
violation of the given nationality law, or staying beyond the termination date
of a visa, also in violation of the law. In order to deal with the overwhelming
numbers of illegal immigrants the government has initiated an amnesty in
2005 to reduce the problem. Some critics believe this will only encourage Chain
migration. See also
Immigration to Europe List of countries by immigrant
population List of sovereign states and dependent
territories by fertility rate References
External links ASESER Teranga: Asociación de
Inmigrantes Senegaleses Residentes en A Coruña