Spain’s population has hit a record high of nearly 50 million due to the high level of migration into the country. The European nation is now home to 49,315,949 people as of July 1, according to provisional data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). This represents an increase of 119,811 residents in the second quarter of the year, and a yearly surge of over half a million people.

The growth is primarily attributed to the influx of foreign immigrants, while the number of individuals born in Spain continues to dwindle. In the second quarter alone, 137,931 foreign-born individuals became residents, whereas the Spanish-born population decreased by 18,120.

The number of foreign nationals rose by 95,277, exceeding 7 million across the country, while the Spanish national population saw a more modest increase of 24,534.

The top nationalities among new immigrants were Colombian (36,100 arrivals), Moroccan (25,000), and Venezuelan (21,600).

These groups also constituted the largest share of emigrants, with other notable origins including Peru, Italy, Argentina, Honduras, Algeria, and Cuba.

Every region except for Melilla saw a rise in population, with the most significant growth observed in Aragón (+0.91%), followed by the Valencian Community (+0.50%) and the Balearic Islands (+0.42%).

The number of households also increased, reaching 19.6 million, a rise of 49,221, suggesting a decline in average household size due to ageing, solo living, and changing family dynamics.

In Majorca specifically, out of the 971,369 residents on the island, 275,478 were born abroad – a total of 28%. 

The second most populated island in the Balearics is Ibiza, with a smaller population of 165,289.

On the popular British holiday spot, a whopping 35% of residents (57,741) were born in another country. Menorca follows closely behind with 102,880 inhabitants, 21% (21,780) of whom are foreign nationals.