SPAIN'S population has increased for the first time since the beginning of 2019, which followed several years of decline, and is now comfortably above the 47 million milestone, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
For many years leading up to the start of the 2020s, the headcount was in freefall and sat at around 46 to 46.5 million, but by 2019 it was returning to levels considered 'normal' – closer to numbers seen in the first five or 10 years of the 21st century.
In total, 47,615,034 people live permanently in Spain, as at July 1, 2022, but the increase is due to inward migration rather than more children being born – in fact, the national birth rate, which continues to fall, was at its lowest ever in 2021.
At any one time, more deaths than births have been recorded in Spain, and 2022 has been no exception – a negative balance of 75,409 was reported.
This means 75,409 babies would need to have been born in the first half of the year to 'fill the place' of people who died.
As is usually the case, therefore, Spain's population increase is the result of inward migration, with a positive balance of 258,547.
This means that once the number of residents leaving the country has been deducted from the number of new arrivals, the total headcount rise is 258,547.
The net population increase from January to June 2022 was 182,141, the INE says.
It predicts Spain's population will rise by around five million in the next 50 years through immigration.
Ukrainian nationals helping keep population up
Based upon the first six months of 2021, immigration in the same period of 2022 is 137.9% - back then, a total of 478,990 people moved to Spain, whilst 220,443 left.
Foreign resident numbers in 2021 reduced in Spain, but not entirely due to them moving away – a total of 105,639 inhabitants who were born abroad acquired Spanish citizenship that year, meaning they count as a reduction in 'migrant' statistics and are now recorded as being Spaniards.
The second-largest increase by national group is Ukraine, due to the conflict in the eastern European country and other nations welcoming refugees.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com