Spain hits historic 49.8 million residents as immigration drives growth

Spain population record immigration-driven growth foreign‑born residents birth decline regional population increase

Spain’s resident population reached a record 49,801,559 on 1 July 2026, the highest figure since the series began. The increase of 104,178 people in the second quarter of 2026 contributed to an annual rise of 444,205.

The growth was driven mainly by immigration. The foreign‑born population stood at 10,291,807, roughly one in five residents, while the number of foreign nationals rose by 87,197 to 7,437,543. Spanish nationality grew by 16,981 through naturalisations. The largest groups of new migrants were Colombians (34,000 arrivals), Venezuelans (23,300) and Moroccans (21,100). At the same time, births fell by 20,367 babies compared with the previous quarter.

All autonomous communities recorded population gains. The Valencian Community posted the strongest quarterly rise at 0.43%, followed by the Balearic Islands (0.36%) and Asturias (0.29%). Navarre added 0.12% and Catalonia reached 8.23 million inhabitants, up 0.38%.

The figures come from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística’s (INE) Continuous Population Statistics, confirming that Spain’s demographic trend is now shaped by immigration rather than natural increase.

Entities: Colombia · Comunidad Valenciana · Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · Morocco · Spain · Venezuela

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 6 SOURCES] Colombian nationals were the largest group of new migrants, with 34,000 arrivals in Q2 2026. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 7 SOURCES] Spain's resident population reached 49,801,559 on 1 July 2026, a historic high. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 6 SOURCES] The population grew by 104,178 people in the second quarter of 2026. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 6 SOURCES] Annual population increase was 444,205 people. (INE continuous population statistics)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Births fell by 20,367 babies in the second quarter of 2026. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 6 SOURCES] Foreign‑born residents numbered 10,291,807, about one in five of Spain’s population. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 6 SOURCES] The number of foreign nationals rose by 87,197 to 7,437,543 in the quarter. (INE continuous population statistics)
[● 6 SOURCES] Spanish nationality increased by 16,981 through naturalisations. (INE continuous population statistics)