Demographic situation

Population

Spain’s total land area is 505 944 km², with a population density of 93.74 inhabitants/km², according to data available on January 1, 2022. The proportion of the population living in urban areas in 2021 is 81%. 

Spain's main demographic challenge is the ageing of the population. Thus, in 2022:

• the population is 47 432 805 inhabitants (as of January 1);
• as for the ageing of the population:
  • the average age of the population is 44.07 years;
  • the ageing index is 133.48 %, which means that, for every 100 minors under the age of 16, there are almost 134 people over the age of 64;
  • the dependency ratio is 54.16 %, which indicates that, for every 100 potentially active people (between 16 and 64 years of age), there are about 54 potentially inactive people (under 16 or over 64);
  • the distribution by age is as follows:

Population distribution by age in Spain (percentage)

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice España-Spanish Network for Information on Education (INEE, MEFP) on the basis of data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). The following link shows the distribution for each education administration.

The evolution of the population figures since 2000 in Spain shows a decrease in all age groups under 45 years of age. Thus, the 15 to 29 age group shows a reduction of 7.6 percentage points, while the 30 to 44 age group has decreased by 2.2 points and the 0 to 14 age group by only 0.4 points. 

On the other hand, population increased in all age groups over 44 years of age.

Distribution of the population aged 25 to 64 by age group and level of education (percentage of individuals)

Source: Statistics of non-university levels. MEFP Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies. Years 2002, 2010 and 2021. The following link shows the distribution for each education administration.

Between 2010 and 2021, the number of people in the 25-64 age group with higher education increased by 9.7 percentage points (15.8 points since 2002). Meanwhile, the number of people with the 2nd stage of secondary education has increased by 1.3 points between 2010 and 2021 (5.9 points since 2002). On the other hand, in this period (2010-2021), the percentage of those with less than 2nd stage secondary education fell by 11 points (21.7 pp. since 2002).

In the table as a whole, it should be noted that the number of people with higher education increases in all age groups, while, also in all age groups, the population with education below the 2nd stage of secondary studies decreases.

Foreign population

Regarding migratory flows, between 2000 and 2010, Spain became a host country for immigrants, but, in 2010, the migration balance started to be negative. This situation remained unchanged until 2016. In 2021, there were 5 440 148 foreign nationals living in Spain.

Registered foreign population in Spain according to nationality (region of origin)

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice España-Spanish Network for Information on Education (INEE, MEFP) on the basis of data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). The following link shows the distribution for each education administration.

In 2008, the Spanish economy experienced a slowdown and a period of recession began. As a result, the foreign population decreased significantly from 2010 onwards, with a lower percentage in 2021 than in that year: 11.5% of the total population after having reached 12.2%. Even so, it represents an increase of more than nine percentage points in twenty-one years.

Most of the foreign population comes from member countries of the European Union, Africa and South America, although since 2010 the population from South America and Europe has decreased significantly.

Foreign students by type of institution (funding) and geographic area of nationality in the 2020-2021 school year

Note: During the 2020-2021 school year, the number of foreign students represents 9.6 % out of the total.

Source: Source: Statistics of non-university levels. MEFP Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies.  2020-2021 school year .

Nearly 80 % of foreign students are enrolled in public schools, a percentage that almost reaches 91 % for students from North Africa. On the other hand, the majority of students from Oceania (almost 60%) and North America (around 52%) are enrolled in private schools.

Population migrating abroad

Population migrating abroad (region of destination)

(¹) With the entry into force of Brexit as of January 2020, the EU-27 grouping replaces EU-28, subtracting the UK figures from the EU.

(²) Data for 2013 have been incorporated as it was the year with the highest emigration abroad flows since data have been publicly reported

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice España-Spanish Network for Information on Education (INEE, MEFP) on the basis of data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).

There has been a reduction in the number of people who have gone abroad between 2010 and 2020 as a whole and in all destination regions (without analyzing each individual country), with the exception of the population with non-EU Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, Oceania and North America as their destination. However, in the latter two cases, the 2013 figures have not yet been reached.

Employment and unemployment

Unemployment, one of the main social problems in Spain which particularly affects the youngest, appears to be an important factor contributing to the population loss.

Another group that is particularly affected by unemployment is that of people over the age of 45, due to difficulties in re-entering the current labour market.

Employment and unemployment¹ in Spain

¹The Economically Active Population Survey is a sample-based, continuous and quarterly research focusing on families. Its main purpose is obtaining data on workforce and its several categories (employed, unemployed), as well as on population out of the labour force (inactive). The data in the table correspond to the fourth quarter of the indicated years.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice España-Spanish Network for Information on Education (INEE, MEFP)  on the basis of data from the Economically Active Population Survey (EPA) by the National Statistics Institute (INE). Employed people (2000, 2010 y 2021), unemployed people (2000, 2010 y 2021), inactive people (2000, 2010 y 2021), employment rate (2000, 2010 y 2021) and unemployment rate (2000, 2010 y 2021). The following link shows the distribution for each education administration.

The unemployment rate in 2021 is13.3 %, affecting women (15.0 %) more than men (11.8 %).

Employment rates of the population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, age group and time span

Source: MEFP Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies. Use of educational variables from the Economically Active Population Survey (INE) / Level of education and employment status. Years 2005, 2010 and 2021.

The employment rate according to the educational level has improved by 5.5 points between 2010 and 2021. This improvement occurs in all age ranges and educational levels, except in the 25-34 age range of the various educational levels, where the rate remains stable or decreases.

The percentage of employed people with higher education is significantly higher than that of those with lower qualifications.

In general, the higher the educational level, the higher the employment rate, although this rate drops considerably when reaching the 55-64 range, approaching lower educational levels.

Unemployment rates of the population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, age group and time span

Source: MEFP Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies. Use of educational variables from the Economically Active Population Survey (INE) / Level of education and employment status. Years 2005, 2010 and 2021.

The total unemployment rate between 2010 and 2021 decreases for the 25-64 age group at all educational levels (4.4 percentage points), especially for the 35-44 group (5.7 percentage points). 

Both in 2010 and 2021, the highest unemployment rate is found in the 25-34 age group. The difference for this age group is 25.9 percentage points between the lowest educational level ( less than first stage of secondary education) and the highest (higher education) in 2010 and 19.3 points in 2021.

As age increases, the difference in unemployment rates by educational level becomes smaller.

The greatest improvement in the unemployment rate between 2010 and 2021 is found in the 35-44 age bracket and educational level below the first stage of secondary education (from 32.9% to 25.3%), while the greatest increase in unemployment is found in the 55-64 age group with the same educational level (from 20.4% to 26.8%).

The 55-64 age group is the only one to experience a deterioration in the unemployment rate for all educational levels separately, although the total rate for this age group decreases.

Young population not in education, employment or training

Youngsters (15-29 years) not in education, employment or training by educational attainment level and time span

Source: MEFP Subdirectorate General for Statistics and Studies. Use of educational variables from the Economically Active Population Survey / Transition from education to work. Early dropout. Years 2005, 2010 and 2021. The following link shows the distribution for each education administration.

Between 2010 and 2021, the rate of the young population neither studying nor working has decreased by 5.9 percentage points, corresponding to 7.8 points among those with less than second stage of secondary education. The percentage among young people with a level of second stage of secondary education and above has experienced a decrease of 2.6 percentage points.

Languages

Spain is amultilingual country where, apart from Spanish as the official language, certain Autonomous Communities have a co-official language: 

• catalan is co-official in Cataluña and Illes Balears and valencian in Comunidad Valenciana;
• galician is co-official in Galicia;
• basque is co-official in the Basque Country and in some Basque areas of Navarra.

In 2001, through the ratification instrument of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, issued in Strasbourg on 5th november 1922 Spain declared that the "regional or minority languages are to be endowed with official status by the Autonomy Statutes of the Autonomous Communities of País Vasco, Cataluña, Illes Balears, Galicia, Comunidad Valenciana and Navarra, as well as those other languages that the Autonomy Statutes support and protect in those territories where they are and have been traditionally spoken".

Other official documents establish the co-official status of aranés in Arán (Cataluña) and grant special protection to other regional or minority languages:

• aragonés and catalan of Aragón are granted protection and their development is encouraged;
• bable is supported and protected in Principado de Asturias;
• gallego is well respected and protected in the western territories of Castilla y León in the provinces of León (El Bierzo) and in Zamora (Sanabria); 
• silbo gomero is recognized by the law of Historical Heritage of Canarias as ethnographic heritage whose preservation must be supported on the Isle of Gomera.

Spanish is the vehicular language throughout the country, as well as co-official languages in those Autonomous Communities with their own language. Organic Law 2/2006 (LOE), as amended by Organic Law 3/2020 (LOMLOE), states that:

• the educational administrations shall guarantee the right of students to be taught in Spanish and in the other co-official languages in their respective territories, in accordance with the Spanish Constitution, the Statutes of Autonomy and all applicable regulations.
• at the end of their basic education, all students shall achieve full and equivalent proficiency in Spanish and, where appropriate, in the corresponding co-official language.

Religions

According to data from the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), in November 2022 55.4 % of citizens declared to be Catholic, 2.6 % believers of other religion, 12.3 % agnostic, and 28.0 % non-believers, atheists or indifferent. 1.8 % of respondents did not answer.

In Spain, no denomination has an official status. The Spanish Constitution guarantees freedom of ideas, religion and worship for individuals and communities.

In relation to the teaching of religion, the LOE, as amended by the LOMLOE, establishes that:

• the teaching of the Catholic religion shall comply with the provisions of the Agreement on Teaching and Cultural Affairs signed between the Holy See and the Spanish State;
• all schools have to offer the subject of Catholic Religion compulsorily, although the subject is voluntary for students;
• the teaching of other religions shall follow the Cooperation Agreements with the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain, the Federation of Israelite Communities of Spain, the Islamic Commission of Spain and, as the case may be, those that may be signed in the future with other religious denominations.