The resident population in Spain on 1 January 2024 stood at 48,619,695 inhabitants, that is 534,334 more people than in 2023 on the same date (an increase of 1.1%).
Of this total, 42,117,413 had Spanish nationality (86.6%) and 6,502,282 had foreign nationality (13.4%). The number of foreign nationals increased by 6.8% compared to the previous year.
The relative proportion of the population over 64 years of age was 20.4%. This resulted in the dependency ratio for those over 64 years of age –which is the ratio between the population aged over 64 and those aged 16 to 64– being 0.31.
The most numerous foreign nationals as at 1 January 2024 were Moroccans (920,693), Romanians (620,463) and Colombians (587,477).
Among the main nationalities, the largest increases during 2023 were among citizens of Colombia (124,566 more), Peru (47,598 more), and Venezuela (47,095). The largest decreases were among nationals from the United Kingdom (-11,635), Romania (-9,292), and Bulgaria (-2,388).
In relative terms, and among the nationalities with the highest number of foreigners, the greatest population increases were registered among the citizens of Peru (27.7%), Colombia (27.4%) and Venezuela (16.9%). In turn, the United Kingdom (-4.1%), Bulgaria (-2.1%), and Romania (-1.5%) recorded the largest decreases.
As of 1 January 2024, 43.4% of the population resided in the same municipality in which they were born and 21.8% in another municipality in the same province.
Meanwhile, the percentage of people born abroad reached 18.2% (compared to 17.1% on the same date in 2023).
Among those born abroad, 12.4% (more than one million inhabitants) were born in Morocco, 9.7% in Colombia, and 6.8% in Venezuela.
Percentage
During 2023, the population increased in all autonomous communities. The largest increases occurred in the Community of Madrid (137,365 more people), Catalonia (110,268 more), and the Valencian Community (103,090 more).
In relative terms, the largest increases occurred in the Community of Madrid and the Valencian Community (2.0% in both) and in the Balearic Islands (1.8%).
By provinces, the number of inhabitants increased in all except six. The provinces with the highest growth were Valencia and Madrid (2.0% each), followed by Alicante (1.9%). The greatest decreases were registered in Zamora (-0.4%), Jaén (-0.3%), and León (-0.2%).
On 1 January 2024, 40.2% of the population resided in municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, 16.7% of the population lived in municipalities with inhabitant figures between 1,001 and 10,000, while 3.0% lived in municipalities with 1,000 or fewer inhabitants.
Percentage
In 4,298 of the 8,132 municipalities existing on 1 January 2024 (52.9% of the total), the population increased or remained the same during 2023.
Among the main cities, the largest relative population increases occurred in Torrevieja (6.7%), Arrecife (5.1%), and Granadilla de Abona (3.9%).
In contrast, the largest decreases were recorded in Cádiz (-0.8%), San Fernando (-0.3%), and Getxo (-0.2%).
Percentage
The data published today are final. All results are available on INEBase.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census was the last of the ten-year censuses in Spain and the first to be carried out entirely based on official public administration records, without surveying any households. This new methodology makes it possible to have census information available every year, in the case of the population, and every three or four years in the case of households.
The first results of the Annual Population Census will be published in December of each year and will provide the official figures and the basic demographic characteristics of the population resident in Spain on 1 January of the same year. In the following months, the information will be completed with variables related to education and employment, such as the relationship with economic activity (active, employed, unemployed, etc.), educational level and studies in progress, among others.
These figures will be incorporated as final in the next publication of the Continuous Population Statistics (in February of the year following the census publication), which provides provisional estimates of the population further in advance.
For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardised methodological report.
INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.
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