Immigration to Spain
As of 2010, there were 6.4 million foreign-born residents in Spain, corresponding to 14.0% of the total population. Of these, 4.1 million (8.9%) were born outside the European Union and 2.3 million (5.1%) were born in another EU Member State.[1]
Because of its location in the Iberian peninsula, 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.[citation needed]
In emigration/immigration 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 Spain in January 2010.[2] Of these, well over one million and a half were from Ibero-America (especially from Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil), three quarters of a million were Moroccan, while immigrants from the European Union amounted more than two million (especially from Romania, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Bulgaria). 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 twentieth 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, only second to Japan's.[citation needed].
During the early twenty first 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.[3] 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.[4]
[edit] Currently
| Foreign population in Spain[5] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Population | % total |
| 1981 | 198,042 | 0.52% |
| 1986 | 241,971 | 0.63% |
| 1991 | 360,655 | 0.91% |
| 1996 | 542,314 | 1.37% |
| 1998 | 637,085 | 1.60% |
| 2000 | 923,879 | 2.28% |
| 2001 | 1,370,657 | 3.33% |
| 2002 | 1,977,946 | 4.73% |
| 2003 | 2,664,168 | 6.24% |
| 2004 | 3,034,326 | 7.02% |
| 2005 | 3,730,610 | 8.46% |
| 2006 | 4,144,166 | 9.27% |
| 2007 | 4,519,554 | 10.0% |
| 2008 | 5,220,600 | 11.3% |
| 2009 | 5,598,691 | 12.0% |
| 2010 | 5,708,940 | 12.2% |
| 2011 | 5,730,667 | 12.2% |
According to the Spanish government, there were 5.6 million foreign residents in Spain in 2010; independent estimates put the figure 15.1% of total population (Red Cross, World Disasters Report 2006). According to residence permit data for 2010, around 800,000 were Romanian, 710,000 were Moroccan, 410,000 were Ecuadorian, 370,000 were British and 290,000 were Colombian. Other important foreign communities are Bolivian (4.1%), German (3.4%), Italian (3.1%), Bulgarian (2.9%), Chinese (2.6%) and Argentine (2.5%). 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[citation needed].
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 (8.9%) were born outside the EU and 2.3 million (5.1%) were born in another EU Member State.[6]
Spain currently has the second highest immigration rates within the EU, just after Cyprus, and the second highest absolute net migration in the World (after the USA).[7] 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.[8]
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 (mainly in Central and South America–Latin America–, Asia–the Philippines– and Africa–Equatorial and Western Sahara–) 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.[citation needed] 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.
[edit] 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, Bulgaria and Germany.
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.[9] Of these, according to the BBC and contrary to popular belief, only about 21.5% are over the age of 65. [10]
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.[11]
[edit] Major immigration
European Union countries are given in bold.
| Origin | 2011 | 2007 | 2006 | 2001 | Growth 2001–2011 |
% Change | Article |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Romania |
864,278 | 527,019 | 407,159 | 31,641 | 832,637 | +2,631% | Romanians in Spain |
 Morocco |
769,920 | 582,923 | 563,012 | 233,415 | 536,505 | +230% | Moroccans in Spain |
 United Kingdom |
390,880 | 314,951 | 274,722 | 107,326 | 283,554 | +264% | British migration to Spain |
 Ecuador |
359,076 | 427,099 | 461,310 | 139,022 | 220,054 | +158% | Ecuadorians in Spain |
 Colombia |
271,773 | 261,542 | 265,141 | 87,209 | 184,564 | +212% | Colombians in Spain |
 Bolivia |
197,895 | 200,496 | 139,802 | 6,619 | 191,276 | +2,890% | Bolivians in Spain |
 Germany |
195,842 | 164,405 | 150,490 | 99,217 | 96,625 | +97% | Germans in Spain |
 Italy |
187,847 | 135,108 | 115,791 | 34,689 | 153,158 | +441% | Italians in Spain |
 Bulgaria |
172,634 | 122,057 | 101,617 | 12,035 | 160,599 | +1,334% | Bulgarians in Spain |
 China |
166,223 | 106,652 | 104,681 | 27,574 | 138,649 | +503% | Chinese people in Spain |
 Portugal |
140,706 | 100,616 | 80,635 | 47,064 | 93,642 | +199% | Portuguese people in Spain |
 Peru |
131,886 | 103,650 | 95,903 | 34,975 | 96,911 | +277% | Peruvians in Spain |
 France |
122,385 | 100,408 | 90,021 | 51,582 | 70,803 | +137% | French people in Spain |
 Argentina |
120,012 | 141,159 | 150,252 | 32,429 | 87,583 | +270% | Argentines in Spain |
 Brazil |
106,908 | 90,161 | 72,441 | 17,078 | 89,830 | +526% | Brazilian people in Spain |
 Dominican Republic |
90,612 | 65,119 | 61,071 | 31,153 | 59,459 | +191% | Dominicans in Spain |
 Paraguay |
87,406 | 46,238 | 28,587 | 928 | 86,478 | +9,319% | Paraguayans in Spain |
 Ukraine |
85,913 | 69,983 | 69,893 | 10,318 | 75,595 | +733% | Ukrainians in Spain |
 Poland |
85,862 | 61,464 | 45,797 | 13,469 | 72,393 | +537% | Poles in Spain |
 Pakistan |
69,841 | 42,105 | 42,138 | 8,274 | 61,567 | +744% | Pakistanis in Spain |
 Senegal |
63,248 | 36,955 | 35,079 | 10,627 | 52,621 | +495% | Senegalese people in Spain |
 Algeria |
60,538 | 45,813 | 47,079 | 18,265 | 42,273 | +231% | Algerians in Spain |
 Venezuela |
59,453 | 51,481 | 51,261 | 16,549 | 42,904 | +259% | Venezuelans in Spain |
 Netherlands |
54,424 | 44,398 | 39,484 | 23,146 | 31,278 | +135% | Dutch people in Spain |
 Cuba |
54,406 | 45,698 | 44,739 | 24,534 | 29,872 | +122% | Cubans in Spain |
 Russia |
52,832 | 39,798 | 39,904 | 10,047 | 42,785 | +426% | Russians in Spain |
 Nigeria |
44,870 | 32,119 | 31,588 | 7,598 | 37,272 | +490% | Nigerians in Spain |
 Uruguay |
42,581 | 46,069 | 45,508 | 6,828 | 35,753 | +524% | Uruguayans in Spain |
 Chile |
41,712 | 40,844 | 39,704 | 11,674 | 30,038 | +257% | Chileans in Spain |
 Belgium |
35,876 | 31,412 | 29,526 | 19,869 | 16,007 | +80% | Belgians in Spain |
| TOTAL | 5,730,667 | 4,519,554 | 4,144,166 | 1,370,657 | 4,360,010 | +318% |
[edit] From other countries – Europe
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
 Albania |
1,353 | 1,316 |
 Andorra |
1,022 | 1,075 |
 Armenia |
9,582 | 9,365 |
 Austria |
8,651 | 7,776 |
 Belarus |
3,135 | 3,262 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1,659 | 1,827 |
 Croatia |
1,649 | 1,788 |
 Cyprus |
146 | 130 |
 Czech Republic |
6,423 | 5,160 |
 Denmark |
10,906 | 9,977 |
 Estonia |
984 | 784 |
 Finland |
9,990 | 9,313 |
 Georgia |
7,355 | 6,284 |
 Greece |
3,567 | 3,027 |
 Hungary |
4,597 | 3,344 |
 Iceland |
1,083 | 920 |
 Ireland |
13,279 | 11,495 |
 Latvia |
2,128 | 1,741 |
 Liechtenstein |
48 | 117 |
 Lithuania |
18,528 | 15,200 |
 Luxembourg |
562 | 1,336 |
 Macedonia |
407 | 440 |
 Malta |
152 | 129 |
 Moldova |
12,801 | 11,330 |
 Norway |
15,630 | 14,154 |
 Serbia |
3,133 | 3,474 |
 Slovakia |
5,999 | 4,515 |
 Slovenia |
799 | 619 |
 Sweden |
20,058 | 18,096 |
 Switzerland |
16,361 | 15,385 |
 Turkey |
1,758 | 1,656 |
 Rest of European countries |
66 | 83 |
| TOTAL EUROPE | 1,895,727 | 1,609,856 |
[edit] From other countries – Africa
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
 Angola |
2,114 | 3,698 | |
 Cape Verde |
2,998 | 3,611 | |
 Cameroon |
4,029 | 3,955 | |
 Republic of the Congo |
1,801 | 1,888 | |
 Côte d'Ivoire |
1,636 | 1,759 | |
 Egypt |
2,566 | 3,634 | |
 Gambia |
17,393 | 13,627 | |
 Ghana |
12,699 | 13,133 | |
 Guinea |
9,159 | 9,901 | |
 Equatorial Guinea |
13,129 | 19,456 | Spanish Equatoguineans |
 Guinea-Bissau |
5,229 | 5,274 | |
 Liberia |
581 | 1,167 | |
 Mali |
17,094 | 14,497 | |
 Mauritania |
9,271 | 9,308 | |
 DR Congo |
1,008 | 1,548 | |
 Sierra Leone |
989 | 1,487 | |
 South Africa |
704 | 2,086 | |
 Tunisia |
1,544 | 2,194 | |
| Rest of African countries | 5,041 | 8,679 | |
| TOTAL | 806.795 |
- Source: [14]
[edit] From other countries – Central America
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
 Costa Rica |
1,320 | 2,373 |
 El Salvador |
3,795 | 5,102 |
 Guatemala |
2,417 | 4,321 |
 Honduras |
14,253 | 10,652 |
 Nicaragua |
4,547 | 4,204 |
 Panama |
1,794 | 3,520 |
| Rest of Central America countries | 1,002 | 2,517 |
| TOTAL | 139.945 |
[edit] From other countries – North America
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
 Canada |
2,419 | 5,420 |
 United States |
22,082 | 32,626 |
 Mexico |
21,107 | 40,574 |
| TOTAL | 45.608 |
[edit] From other countries – Asia
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
 Philippines |
54,385 | 51,368 | Filipino Spaniards |
 South Korea |
22,465 | 13,144 | Koreans in Spain |
 India |
21,296 | 23,296 | |
 Bangladesh |
6,480 | 6,130 | |
 Iran |
12,334 | 4,568 | Iranians in Spain |
 Iraq |
880 | 1,706 | |
 Israel |
1,713 | 2,427 | |
 Japan |
11,636 | 7,684 | Japanese Spaniards |
 Jordan |
1,088 | 2,082 | |
 Lebanon |
6,250 | 2,750 | |
 Syria |
6,129 | 4,575 | |
| Rest of Asian countries | 6,430 | 2,517 | |
| TOTAL | 219.843 |
[edit] From other countries – Oceania
| Origin | 2007 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
 Australia |
1,455 | 5,131 |
 New Zealand |
301 | 298 |
| Rest of Oceania countries | 494 | 1,099 |
| TOTAL | 2.271 |
[edit] 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 (6.3%) were born outside the EU and 16.0 million (3.2%) were born in another EU member state. The largest absolute numbers of people born outside the EU were in Germany (6.4 million), France (5.1 million), the United Kingdom (4.7 million), Spain (4.1 million), Italy (3.2 million), and the Netherlands (1.4 million).[12]
| Country | Total population (1000) | Total Foreign-born (1000) | % | Born in other EU state (1000) | % | Born in a non EU state (1000) | % |
| EU 27 | 501'098 | 47'348 | 9.4 | 15'980 | 3.2 | 31'368 | 6.3 |
| Germany | 81'802 | 9'812 | 12.0 | 3'396 | 4.2 | 6'415 | 7.8 |
| France | 64'716 | 7'196 | 11.1 | 2'118 | 3.3 | 5'078 | 7.8 |
| United Kingdom | 62'008 | 7'012 | 11.3 | 2'245 | 3.6 | 4'767 | 7.7 |
| Spain | 45'989 | 6'422 | 14.0 | 2'328 | 5.1 | 4'094 | 8.9 |
| Italy | 60'340 | 4'798 | 8.0 | 1'592 | 2.6 | 3'205 | 5.3 |
| Netherlands | 16'575 | 1'832 | 11.1 | 428 | 2.6 | 1'404 | 8.5 |
| Greece | 11'305 | 1'256 | 11.1 | 315 | 2.8 | 940 | 8.3 |
| Sweden | 9'340 | 1'337 | 14.3 | 477 | 5.1 | 859 | 9.2 |
| Austria | 8'367 | 1'276 | 15.2 | 512 | 6.1 | 764 | 9.1 |
| Belgium (2007) | 10'666 | 1'380 | 12.9 | 695 | 6.5 | 685 | 6.4 |
| Portugal | 10'637 | 793 | 7.5 | 191 | 1.8 | 602 | 5.7 |
| Denmark | 5'534 | 500 | 9.0 | 152 | 2.8 | 348 | 6.3 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ 6.5% of the EU population are foreigners and 9.4% are born abroad, Eurostat, Katya VASILEVA, 34/2011.
- ^ 5,598,691 foreign population in Spain (2009), Spanish National Statitistic Institute press report, INE (Spain). June 3, 2009. (Spanish)
- ^ Official report on Spanish recent Macroeconomics, including data and comments on immigration. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-11-14.
- ^ Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Evolution of the foreign population in Spain since 1998 [1]
- ^ Fuente: para los años 1981, 1986 y 1991, los datos se refieren tan sólo a extranjeros con permiso de residencia a 31 de diciembre y proceden del Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales, citado en [2] (tomando, para el porcentaje de 1986, la población española de hecho según la estimación intercensal del INE para el 1 de julio [3]). Para los datos de 1996 y posteriores, todos los datos proceden del INE [4]
- ^ 6.5% of the EU population are foreigners and 9.4% are born abroad, Eurostat, Katya VASILEVA, 34/2011.
- ^ Eurostat – Population in Europe in 2005. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-11-14.
- ^ Kern, Soeren (2009-05-13), "Immigration Policy a Casualty of Unemployment in Spain", World Politics Review, http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=3750, retrieved 2009-06-29
- ^ [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
- ^ Special Reports | Brits Abroad. BBC News. Retrieved on 2011-11-14.
- ^ News.bg – Europeans Favour Spain for Expat Jobs. International.ibox.bg. Retrieved on 2011-11-14.
- ^ 6.5% of the EU population are foreigners and 9.4% are born abroad, Eurostat, Katya VASILEVA, 34/2011.
[edit] External links
|
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Immigration to Spain |
