The province in which the Catalan capital, Barcelona, is located has experienced a significant increase in population since 1996. In January 2023, the inhabitants of the province of Barcelona amounted to nearly *** million, which is also the highest figure registered during the period under consideration.

Spain Population: Catalonia: Barcelona data was reported at 5,606,913.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,576,037.000 Person for 2016. Spain Population: Catalonia: Barcelona data is updated yearly, averaging 5,416,447.000 Person from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2017, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,606,913.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 4,666,271.000 Person in 1997. Spain Population: Catalonia: Barcelona data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G001: Population: at 1st of January.

With over seven million inhabitants, Madrid ranked as the most populated province in Spain as of 2025. In the second place was Barcelona, with a population of almost six million people. Only 14 out of the 52 Spanish provinces had over a million inhabitants at that time.

Population of Barcelona aggregated by group of nationality (Spain, part of EU or other), sex and five-year age groups according to the Municipal Register of Inhabitants on January 1 of each year

As of January 2025, Catalonia's population stood at over eight million, making it the second most populated autonomous community in Spain. Catalonia had 682,998 inhabitants aged between 45 and 49 years old, the largest age group. Meanwhile, children aged zero to four years old totaled 290,941.

As recorded by the source, Moroccans ranked as the foreign nationality with more residents in Spain in 2023, closely followed by Romanians. After years of losing its foreign population, Spain’s immigration figures started to pick up in 2015, with the number of people that moved to the Mediterranean country surpassing the number of foreigners that decided to leave.

A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2022, Colombians ranked first as the foreign nationality that most relocated to Spain, distantly followed by Moroccans and Ukranians.

Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately 15 million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2022. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood slightly over seven million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died ore gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

In 2024, Madrid was the city with the most inhabitants in Spain. In that year, more than 3.42 million people lived in the city. Barcelona was the second-largest city with 1.69 million residents.

cities with population greater than 1 million. name, office head of government, Mayor, image, Area, date founded, Elevation, Country, administrative division, continent, latitude, waterbody, longitude, Website, population, Demonym

Official population figures of the Spanish Municipalities: Revision of the Municipal Register: Barcelona: Population by municipality and sex. Annual. Municipalities.

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countries capital city Port of Spain. name, long name, population (source), population, constitutional form, drives on, head of state authority, Main continent, number of airports, Airports - with paved runways, Airports - with unpaved runways, Area, Birth rate, calling code, Children under the age of 5 years underweight, Current Account Balance, Death rate, Debt - external, Economic aid donor, Electricity consumption, Electricity consumption per capita, Electricity exports, Electricity imports, Electricity production, Exports, GDP - per capita (PPP), GDP (purchasing power parity), GDP real growth rate, Gross national income, Human Development Index, Health expenditures, Heliports, HIV AIDS adult prevalence rate, HIV AIDS deaths, HIV AIDS people living with HIV AIDS, Hospital bed density, capital city, Currency, Imports, Industrial production growth rate, Infant mortality rate, Inflation rate consumer prices, Internet hosts, internet tld, Internet users, Investment (gross fixed), iso 3166 code, ISO CODE, Labor force, Life expectancy at birth, Literacy, Manpower available for military service, Manpower fit for military service, Manpower reaching militarily age annually, is democracy, Market value of publicly traded shares, Maternal mortality rate, Merchant marine, Military expenditures percent of GDP, Natural gas consumption, Natural gas consumption per capita, Natural gas exports, Natural gas imports, Natural gas production, Natural gas proved reserves, Net migration rate, Obesity adult prevalence rate, Oil consumption, Oil consumption per capita, Oil exports, Oil imports, Oil production, Oil proved reserves, Physicians density, Population below poverty line, Population census, Population density, Population estimate, Population growth rate, Public debt, Railways, Reserves of foreign exchange and gold, Roadways, Stock of direct foreign investment abroad, Stock of direct foreign investment at home, Telephones main lines in use, Telephones main lines in use per capita, Telephones mobile cellular, Telephones mobile cellular per capita, Total fertility rate, Unemployment rate, Unemployment, youth ages 15-24, Waterways, valley, helicopter, canyon, artillery, crater, religion, continent, border, Plateau, marsh, Demonym

Madrid was the largest city in Spain in 2024, with around *** million inhabitants. Barcelona followed second, with nearly *** million people residing there. The most populated city in the Spanish islands that year was Palma de Mallorca.

This paper analyses the impact that Spanish road construction had on local population growth between 1787 and 1857. We find that the increase in market potential associated to road accessibility had a substantial effect on local population growth. The impact was substantially higher on the municipalities that had a more diversified occupational structure. By contrast, the effect of the new network on population growth was negative in municipalities close but without direct access to the roads. We interpret these findings as evidence of a process of rural-to-rural migration due to the new roads.

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid in terms of population and one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Most residents of Catalonia considered themselves equally Catalan and Spanish. This is the result of a survey conducted in March and May 2024 which revealed that approximately 34 percent of the population in this northern region identified Catalan and Spanish to the same degree. The share of the population that identified as more Catalan than Spanish or only Catalan, however, was also significant, with shares of 21.6 percent and 18.7 percent, respectively. Catalonia in SpainThe Catalan participation in the Spanish GDP was estimated at 20 percent in 2023. This figure maintained steadily over the last few years, with an average share of about 20 percent of the total GDP of the country. The average GDP per capita in Catalonia was significantly higher than that of the rest of Spain at 34,534 euros in 2022. During the same period, Spain’s average GDP per capita was 28.276 euros. As of 2024, Catalonia was the second most populous autonomous community in Spain with about eight million people. The Catalan language: a symbol of the region’s identityThe Catalan and Spanish languages coexist in the coastal region of Catalonia, both enjoying official and equal status. As of 2024, about 47 percent of the population of Catalonia considered Spanish their mother tongue, whereas about 40 percent reported being native speakers of Catalan. Despite the fact that the vast majority of books in Spain are published in Spanish, the Catalan language ranked second in the country’s editorial scene at about nine percent of book publications, revealing the weight of this language among other languages spoken in Spain. In fact, Catalan was one of the most translated languages in this country according to the latest studies.

Combined Longitudinal Study of the Second Generation in Spain data set, Waves 1 and 2. This is the publicly available version of the ILSEG data (ILSEG is the Spanish acronym for Investigación Longitudinal de la Segunda Generación, Longitudinal Study of the Second Generation). Questions address the situations and plans for the future of young Spaniards who are children of immigrants to Spain, who were living in Madrid and Barcelona and attending secondary school in 2007-2008 and the 2011-2012 follow up). The longitudinal study of the second Generation (ILSEG in its Spanish initials) represents the first attempt to conduct a large-scale study of the adaptation of children of immigrants to Spanish society over time. To that end, a large and statistically representative sample of children born to foreign parents in Spain or those brought at an early age to the country was identified and interviewed in metropolitan Madrid and Barcelona for wave 1. In total, almost 7,000 children of immigrants attending basic secondary school in close to 200 educational centers in both cities took part in the study. Because of sample attrition, wave 2 introduced a replacement sample. Additionally, a native born sample of children of Spaniards was also included to enable comparisons between native and immigrant-origin populations of the same age cohort.Topics include basic demographics, national origins, Spanish language acquisition, foreign language knowledge and retention, parents' education and employment, respondents' education and aspirations, religion, household arrangements, life experiences, and attitudes about Spanish society. Demographic variables include age, sex, birth country, language proficiency (Spanish and Catalan), language spoken in the home, number of siblings, mother's and father's birth country, religion, national identity, parent's sex, parent's marital status, parent's birth year, and the year the parent arrived in Spain.

The Spain Commercial Real Estate industry is experiencing robust growth, projected to maintain a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) exceeding 5% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. Strong tourism, particularly in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, is boosting demand for hospitality and retail spaces. Furthermore, a growing population and increasing urbanization are driving the need for more residential (multi-family) and office properties. Investment in logistics and industrial real estate is also significant, reflecting Spain's growing role in European supply chains. While challenges exist, including potential interest rate hikes impacting financing costs and fluctuations in the global economy, these are largely offset by the strong underlying fundamentals of the Spanish market. The sector's segmentation reflects diverse investment opportunities. Major cities like Madrid and Barcelona account for a substantial share of the market, but other cities like Valencia and Malaga are also demonstrating significant growth potential, reflecting a decentralization of economic activity and investment. Key players, including Merlin Properties, Via Celere, and Kronos Investment Group, are driving this growth through both development and acquisition. The study period (2019-2033) provides a comprehensive overview of the market's historical performance and future trajectory, allowing for informed investment decisions. The diverse segments within the Spanish commercial real estate market offer compelling investment prospects. The office sector remains a significant contributor, fueled by both established businesses and burgeoning startups. Retail real estate continues to evolve, with a shift towards experiential retail and a growing online presence requiring strategic adaptations. The logistics and industrial segments are experiencing particularly rapid growth due to increased e-commerce activity and the strategic location of Spain within the European Union. The hospitality sector, while sensitive to global economic conditions, benefits from Spain's enduring popularity as a tourist destination. The multi-family sector is also witnessing expansion to meet the housing needs of a growing population. Understanding the interplay between these segments, coupled with an analysis of regional variations and the key players involved, is crucial for investors seeking to navigate this dynamic market successfully. The forecast period (2025-2033) provides a valuable outlook on the future trajectory of this promising market. Considering the historical data (2019-2024) will help in creating a balanced understanding of the market fluctuations and potential future trends. Recent developments include: December 2022: GAena, the Spanish public company in charge of general aviation airports in Spain, announced today a call for tenders for 86 duty-free shops, all of which are indivisible, at 27 airports in its network. The bidding documents include six lots in total, which is twice the number of lots available in the previous tender. According to a press release issued by Aena, the tender will double the number of lots to increase and favor competition among global operators. The total commercial space available will exceed 66.000 square meters, allowing for the development of economies of scale., June 2022: Allianz Real Estate, acting on behalf of several Allianz group companies, paid EUR 185 million (USD 196.95 million) for a portfolio of nine prime residential buildings in Madrid's Chamartn district. The transaction consolidates Allianz Real Estate's ownership of the larger block and expands its exposure to the highly attractive Spanish PRS sector, particularly in Madrid. It is located next to Castellana 200, a mixed-use office and retail asset already owned by Allianz Real Estate. The nine assets include 245 residential units as well as additional retail space.. Notable trends are: Increasing demand for logistics property driving the market.

This statistic illustrates the homeownership rate among the total population of Spain between 2008 and 2022. During that timeframe, the homeownership rate oscillated between approximately 77 to 80 percent of the total population.

Spain has a long history of Islamic tradition under its belt. From cuisine to architecture, the southern European country has been linked to the North of Africa through many common elements. At the end of 2023, there were approximately 2.41 million Muslims in Spain, most of them of Spanish and Moroccan nationality, with upwards of eight hundred thousand believers in both cases. With a Muslim population of more than 660,000 people, Catalonia was home to the largest Muslim community in Spain as of the same date.

The not so Catholic Spain

Believers of a religion other than Catholicism accounted for approximately 3 percent of the Spanish population, according to the most recent data. Although traditionally a Catholic country, Spain saw a decline in the number of believers over the past years. Compared to previous years, when the share of believers accounted for slightly over 70 percent of the Spanish population, the Catholic community lost ground, while still being the major religion for the foreseable future.

A Catholic majority, a practicing minority

Going to mass is no longer a thing in Spain, or so it would seem when looking at the latest statistics about the matter: 50 percent of those who consider themselves Catholics almost never attend any religious service in 2024. The numbers increased until 2019, from 55.5 percent of the population never attending religious services in 2011 to 63.1 percent in 2019. The share of population that stated to be practicing believers and go to mass every Sunday and on the most important holidays accounted for only 15.5 percent.