Largest foreign nationality in Spain by province
Latin America has over the years proven to be one of the biggest destinations for immigrants across Europe and Northern America.
The United Nations pegs the figure as of 2020 at 1.4 million. While migrants see this as a good ground to explore, governments and host communities are increasingly becoming concerned about the migration flows.
In Spain alone, 5.4 million migrants without Spanish nationality were residing in the country, World In Maps, cited data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). This figure represents a little more than 11% of the country’s total population.
Among this number, Moroccans, Romanians, and Colombians are the most.
Migrants from European Union countries, such as Romania or Bulgaria, began arriving in Spain at the beginning of the century, about the period their countries joined the European Union in 2007.
Other nationalities including Chinese, Latinas and Moroccans also migrated for economic reasons and cultural proximity, as well as favourable living conditions. Over the years, the country has seen an influx of British and German nationals, who now form two of the largest foreign communities. Many of them come to Spain to retire, drawn by the warm climate, especially in the Mediterranean regions, and lower living costs compared to their home countries. More than 350,000 British and German residents now call Spain home.
In the Canary Islands, Italians make up the largest foreign community, influenced by unique economic and cultural factors.
In recent years, Spain has also seen a significant rise in immigrants from Latin America, particularly from Colombia, Venezuela, and Honduras. Colombians have jumped from being the sixth-largest immigrant group to the third, with a 68% increase since 2018. Venezuelans have also become one of the largest immigrant communities in Spain, driven by the ongoing political, economic, and social crisis in their country, which has made it easier for them to seek asylum in Spain.
