EXPATS now make up a third of the population in a small village in rural Granada, new data shows, while neighbouring communities continue to grapple with population decline.
Around a third of the 1,139 inhabitants of Galera, a village in the scenic Huescar region of Granada, are expats from 32 nationalities.
Over 200 Brits live in Galera making them, by far, the largest expat group in the village.
It is not only the Brits making the town home.
With Dutch, Irish, Swiss, French, Moroccan, Bolivian and Colombian residents, to name only a few, the village prides itself on its welcoming atmosphere and integration.
Some expats work locally in agriculture or the tourism sector, while some work remotely and others have started small local businesses.
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This economic contribution is particularly welcome at a time when 54% of Andalusian municipalities are experiencing depopulation as young people flock to the cities to find work.
The Galera town hall, however, is working to turn the tide on rural depopulation.
It launched a campaign titled ‘Move to Galera’ to attract even more foreign residents.
The initiative promotes the village’s affordable housing, tranquil lifestyle and proximity to nature, as Galera sits in the heart of the Granada Geopark.
Another key attraction is its casas cueva, traditional Andalusian cave houses built into the mountainside.
The village boasts around 900 of these homes, which are both affordable and sustainable thanks to the natural insulation provided by their cave structure.
At a time of widespread rural decline, Galera is quietly turning the demographic tide by welcoming expats.
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