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Spain's population hits 49.6 million with foreign-born milestone
One in five residents now born abroad as migration drives record growth
Spain's population has reached a new high of 49,570,725 as of January 1, 2026, up 442,428 from last year, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). For the first time ever, more than 10 million people, exactly 10,004,581, living here were born abroad, making up one in five residents and offsetting a drop in births among those born in Spain.Out of the total, 39.6 million were born in Spain, while 42.3 million hold Spanish nationality (many naturalised through residency, marriage or the Historical Memory Law) and 7.2 million have foreign passports, or 14.6% of the population. Migration expert Elisa Brey from Complutense University in Madrid welcomed the figures. "If it weren't for the arrival of migrants, Spain would lose population," she said, pointing to a fall of 18,696 Spanish-born babies in late 2025 alone.
New arrivals in the last quarter of 2025 were led by Colombians (36,600), Venezuelans (27,000) and Moroccans (22,000), drawn by job opportunities, existing communities and troubles back home like Venezuela's crisis. Departures were highest among Moroccans (13,000), Colombians (12,500) and Spaniards (7,900). Brey noted the "dynamism of the Spanish labour market" as a key pull.
Growth varies widely by region. The Balearic Islands top the list for foreign-born share at 29.27%, followed by Catalonia (26.11%), Madrid (25.7%) and the Valencian Community (25.45%). Provinces like Alicante (30.51%) and Almería (26.04%) stand out too, while Extremadura (6.59%) lags far behind. Nationally, households rose to 19.7 million by January 1.
The Valencian Community saw the biggest yearly jump at 1.78% (over 5.5 million total), followed by Castilla-La Mancha (1.31%), Aragon (1.26%) and Murcia (1.07%). Two-thirds of 2025's growth happened in the Valencian Community, Catalonia, Madrid and Andalucía.
This surge, building since 2022's economic recovery, means Spain could top 50 million by year's end - a stark contrast to the "demographic winter" of more deaths than births among natives. For those of us settled here, it shows how newcomers are keeping communities vibrant.
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