MORE than 10 million people currently living in Spain were born abroad, new figures reveal, as migration continues to drive the nation’s population growth.
Data for 2026 from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) shows that one in five residents now comes from outside the country, while the overall population edges closer to the 50?million mark.
The figures come amid declining birth rates among Spaniards, with the number of residents born in Spain dropping by nearly 19,000 in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone.
Population growth over the past year reached nearly 450,000 people, according to INE data.
The institute confirmed that this increase was entirely due to migration, as Spain continues to record more deaths than births.
This means that, without the arrival of foreign residents, the country would have experienced negative population growth.
The largest groups arriving in the final quarter of the year were Colombians, Venezuelans, and Moroccans.
The data also shows that more than seven million residents born abroad now hold Spanish nationality, another record high reflecting long-term settlement and integration.
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Spain’s total population currently stands at 49.57?million, the highest figure ever recorded.
Almost all regions saw population increases in the final quarter, with growth strongest in the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha, and the Community of Madrid.
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