05
European Comparison
Spain leads EU in growth
+525.000 inhabitants in 2023
1º EU country in growth
48,7 millones total population
Spain led EU population growth in 2023 with +525,100 inhabitants. Immigration is the main driver of Spanish demographic growth.
Key data
450,4 millones
EU Population
2023
-1,3 millones
EU Natural change
Births - deaths
+2,3 millones
EU Net migration
Growth driver
18,2%
Spain immigrant population
8.8 million people
Highest EU population growth (2023)
View data in table
| Country | Increase |
|---|---|
| España | +525.100 |
| Alemania | +330.000 |
| Francia | +229.000 |
Foreign population evolution Spain vs EU (2000-2023)
View data in table
| Year | % foreigners Spain / EU |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,3% / 5,0% |
| 2003 | 6,2% / 5,5% |
| 2006 | 9,3% / 6,1% |
| 2009 | 12,0% / 6,4% |
| 2012 | 12,1% / 6,8% |
| 2015 | 9,5% / 7,5% |
| 2018 | 10,1% / 8,2% |
| 2021 | 11,5% / 8,4% |
| 2023 | 13,4% / 9,0% |
Methodological context
Spain leads accumulated EU population growth over the last 3 years with approximately +1.6 million inhabitants, driven almost entirely by net migration (natural change is negative). Only 6 EU countries had positive natural change in 2024: Ireland, France, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, and Sweden. Eurostat offers comparable series since 1998 for most EU countries.