16-07-2025
Moroccan immigrants rank second among new arrivals in Spain in 2025
Spain recorded a significant increase in its population during the first quarter of 2025, largely fueled by an influx of immigrants. Moroccan nationals ranked second among the top nationalities entering the country, according to data from the Continuous Population Statistics released by the National Statistics Institute (INE). As of April 1, 2025, Spain's population surpassed 49.1 million, a record high in the country's statistical history.
During this period, 25,900 Moroccan nationals entered Spain, making them the second-largest group of new arrivals after Colombians (39,800), and ahead of Venezuelans (25,000). Other major incoming nationalities included Hondurans (18,300), Italians (18,100), as well as migrants from Peru, Venezuela, and Ukraine.
At the same time, Morocco also topped the list of countries whose nationals left Spain, with 13,900 Moroccans departing between January and March, followed by Colombians (13,500) and Spaniards (10,300). This reflects active two-way migration within the Moroccan community.
The Moroccan population remains the largest foreign community in Spain, with 1,092,892 residents, surpassing Colombians (856,616) and Venezuelans (599,769).
In terms of regional population changes, Madrid saw the highest growth rate at 0.45%, followed by Valencia (0.37%) and Murcia (0.26%). In contrast, Ceuta, Extremadura, and the Balearic Islands recorded slight population declines.
Immigration Offsets Declining Birth Rates
On the social front, the number of households in Spain rose to 19,523,824, reflecting an increase of 26,698 households during the same period.
The foreign resident population climbed to 6,947,711, marking a 1.39% increase, while the number of Spanish citizens declined by 19,498. Meanwhile, the number of people born abroad stood at 9,498,002, surpassing the foreign national population, due to ongoing naturalization processes.
Despite overall population growth, the number of births in Spain dropped by more than 42,000, reflecting both declining birth rates and an aging population.
In contrast, the number of births abroad increased by 118,030, underscoring the role of immigration as the primary driver of Spain's demographic growth. The data highlights how Spain is becoming increasingly diverse and dynamic, with foreigners playing a vital role in shaping the country's future.
These figures are provisional and updated quarterly. They will be finalized following the release of the new census at the end of the year and integrated into Spain's annual continuous population statistics report.
