The population of Spain’s autonomous region Andalucía increased by 72,980 in 2022, reaching a total of 8,584,147 residents as of January 1, 2023, according to the initial findings of the Population Census published this Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). In comparison to 2021, when there were 8,484,804 people in the region, the Andalucían population has grown by 99,343 individuals.
Similarly, the overall population of Spain expanded by 598,634 inhabitants during 2022, surpassing 48 million for the first time (48,085,361 people) on January 1, 2023, as per the same Census results released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
This increase was mainly attributed to foreigners, whose number rose by 580,574 individuals, exceeding six million for the first time (specifically, reaching 6,089,620).
Consequently, the population residing in Spain as of January 1, 2023, has grown by 1.26% compared to the same period in 2022 (when it stood at 47,486,727 inhabitants). Out of the total population this year, 41,995,741 held Spanish nationality (87.3%), and 6,089,620 had foreign nationality (12.7%), representing a 10.5% increase in foreigners compared to the previous year. Of the population, 82.9% were born in Spain, while 17.1% were born abroad.
Regarding the Andalucían population, as of January 1, 2023, there were 4,354,316 women and 4,229,831 men.
In the case of foreigners, the figure in Spain has steadily increased in recent years. On January 1, 2001, it was 1,572,013, a number that rose to 5,252,473 on January 1, 2011, and 5,402,702 on January 1, 2021. On the same date in 2022, the figure was 5,509,046, increasing to 6,089,620 in 2023.
The most numerous foreigners in Spain as of January 1, 2023, were from Morocco (893,953), Romania (629,755), Colombia (453,911), Italy (301,791), the United Kingdom (284,037), and Venezuela (278,159). Among the major nationalities, the largest population increases in 2022 were among citizens of Colombia (142,391 more), Ukraine (83,401 more), and Venezuela (64,498 more), while the biggest decreases were among citizens of Romania (-9,742), the United Kingdom (-7,328), and Bulgaria (-3,061).
In relative terms, the greatest increases in foreigners during 2022 were among citizens of Ukraine (75.9%), Colombia (45.7%), and Peru (44.9%), contrasting with decreases among citizens of Bulgaria (-2.6%), the United Kingdom (-2.5%), and Romania (-1.5%).
As of January 1, 2023, 44.0% of the population resided in the same municipality where they were born, and 22.0% in another municipality within the same province. The percentage of people born abroad reached 17.1% (compared to 15.7% on the same date in 2022). Among those born abroad, 12.5% (over a million) were born in Morocco, 8.7% in Colombia, and 6.6% in Romania.
BY AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES
During 2022, the population of Spain increased in all autonomous communities except for Extremadura, where it decreased by 2,502 individuals. The largest increases occurred in Catalonia, with 140,140 more people, the Community of Madrid, with 128,649 more, and the Valencian Community, with 108,079 more. In relative terms, the highest population increases were in the Valencian Community (2.1%), the Balearic Islands, and the Community of Madrid (1.9% each).
All provinces, except seven, saw an increase in their population over the last year. The ones that grew the most were Alicante (2.5%), Guadalajara (2.5%), and Girona (2.3%), while decreases were recorded in Jaén (-0.6%), Zamora (-0.6%), and Badajoz (-0.3%).
In 2023, 40.1% of the population resided in municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and 20.0% in municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, while 3.0% of the population lived in municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.
TORREVIEJA, ESTEPONA, AND BENIDORM, THE FASTEST-GROWING CITIES
In 4,725 of the 8,131 municipalities existing on January 1, 2023 (41.9% of the total), the population increased or remained stable during 2022. Considering the main cities, the largest population declines in 2022 in relative terms occurred in Linares (Jaén, with -1.1%), Cádiz (-1.1%), Puertollano (Ciudad Real, with -0.8%), Coslada (Madrid, with -0.5%), and Fuenlabrada (Madrid, with -0.5%).
On the contrary, the main cities with the greatest population growth during 2022 were Torrevieja (Alicante, with +6.8%), Estepona (Málaga, +4.6%), Benidorm (Alicante, +4.3%), Marbella (Málaga, +3.9%), and Benalmádena (Málaga, +3.8%).
In age groups, the population of Spain under 16 years decreased by 40,625 individuals in 2022 (-0.6%), while the population aged 16 to 64 grew by 433,285 individuals (1.4%), and the population aged 65 and over increased by 205,974 (2.2%).
THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE AGED 65 AND OVER INCREASES
Precisely, the percentage of individuals aged 65 and over compared to the total population of Spain has been increasing in recent years, rising from 10.2% in 1975 to 20.1% in 2023. Thus, the percentage of this group is now almost double the percentage in 1975.
With the publication of this census, which combines the data for January 1, 2022, and 2023, the INE begins the annual publication of population censuses, providing official figures for the population residing in Spain as of January 1 with detailed territorial information (down to the census section), along with demographic characteristics.
This way, the INE will offer updated information every year for the population, and every three or four years for housing, instead of every 10 years as with the previous decennial censuses.
