Spain nears 50 million residents as immigration drives record population of 49,935,642

Population edges toward 50 million

Spain's population stood at 49,935,642 on 1 October 2026, according to the Continuous Population Statistics that the National Statistics Institute (INE) published on Thursday, 12 November. It is the highest figure in the series and leaves the country just short of the 50 million mark. The population grew by 130,223 during the third quarter and by 435,551 over the previous twelve months. El Confidencial estimates that, at a pace of about 110,000 more residents each quarter, Spain will pass 50 million in November or, at the latest, December. Annual growth is slowing, and the increase is the smallest since 2022.

Immigration accounts for nearly all growth

Immigration explained 98.8% of the total increase recorded between July and September. The foreign-born population reached 10,433,091, more than a fifth of all residents. The INE separates birthplace from nationality, and the two counts differ because many people born abroad have acquired Spanish citizenship. Foreign nationals rose by 86,883 in the quarter to 7,518,237. Spanish nationals grew by 43,340, although the Spanish-born population fell by 8,383 to 38,979,613, while Spanish nationals born abroad rose by 51,723 to 3,437,792.

Over the past year the foreign-born population rose by 520,000 and the Spanish-born population fell by 85,000, according to El Confidencial. The decline in Spanish-born residents is slowing and is now the smallest since late 2019.

Spanish-born Spanish nationals38,979,613

Foreign-born Spanish nationals3,437,792

Foreign nationals7,518,237

Spanish-born Spanish nationals

38979613 people

Foreign-born Spanish nationals

3437792 people

Foreign nationals

7518237 people

Data from the article text

Arrivals, departures and regional growth

Colombia was the main country of origin for arrivals in the third quarter, with 33,200 people, followed by 23,600 people with Spanish nationality and 19,000 Venezuelans. Colombia also topped the departures list with 9,100 emigrants, ahead of Morocco with 8,900. The number of households rose by 69,162 in the quarter to 19,953,529, up 1.24% on a year earlier. Population grew in every autonomous community and city, with the largest increases in the Valencian Community (0.48%), the Community of Madrid (0.46%) and the autonomous city of Melilla (0.36%).

Colombia33,200

Spanish nationals23,600

Venezuela19,000

Colombia

33200 people

Spanish nationals

23600 people

Venezuela

19000 people

Data from the article text

Regularization and the 29 November vote

Migration is back at the centre of political debate as the election campaign approaches. The Canary Islands route recorded 7,645 arrivals in the first eleven days of November. The INE figures do not yet capture the extraordinary regularization, which the government approved by regulation to avoid a vote in Congress that would probably have gone against it. According to data La Vanguardia says it obtained, 1,174,978 applications were filed, 87% of them have been admitted for processing, and 513,029 applicants are already enrolled in Social Security. The government led by Pedro Sánchez announced an integration and citizenship plan starting with 500 million euros, which it says aims for 'justa, ordenada e inteligente' management of migration. The Partido Popular proposes banning regularizations it describes as mass and indiscriminate.

The vote on 29 November will produce the government that must address the limits of reception, the pressure on public services and the future of coexistence. The population figures refer to 1 October, while the next fixed date on the calendar is that election.