Population of the European Union and Spain: Demographics and Trends
The Population of the European Union
Slow Growth and Aging
Almost 500 million people live in the countries forming the European Union.
The population is growing very slowly. The low birth rate, which is barely over 10‰ on average, makes the natural population growth slow. The average fertility rate of 1.5 children per woman does not ensure generational replacement.
The population over 65 years old accounts for 16% of the total and is increasing for two reasons:
- The adult population is very large and life expectancy is high.
- The percentage of the population under 15 years old is decreasing.
Therefore, the trait that best defines the European population is aging.
A High Percentage of Immigrants
The European Union hosts a growing number of immigrants. In 2004, the EU population increased by about 2,300,000 people. Of these, 1,900,000 were immigrants and only 400,000 were due to births.
Germany, France, and Britain have traditionally been the main recipients of immigrants. But in the early twenty-first century, Spain and Italy became the priority destinations.
Concerning the origin of immigrants, in the second half of the last century, they were mostly from Turkey, African countries, many Asian countries, and especially China. In the last decades, immigrants have also come from Latin America.
Given the growing importance of immigration, the EU is working to create common laws governing the admission of immigrants, establish their rights and obligations, and combat illegal immigration. Moreover, each EU country develops programs for integrating the foreign population with two main objectives: the teaching of the language and the norms and values of the host society, which everyone must respect.
Unfortunately, sometimes conflicts arise that generate xenophobic and racist reactions. In countries like France, Germany, and Belgium, openly racist political parties have won backing from a certain sector of the population.
A Densely Populated Space
The European Union territory is densely populated. The average density is 114 inhabitants per km2, but there are large differences between countries. The state with the highest population density is Malta, which exceeds 1,200 inhabitants per km2. At the other extreme are Finland, with 15 inhabitants per km2, and Sweden with 22 inhabitants per km2.
A Range of Cultures
Perhaps the most striking feature of the population of the European Union is its cultural diversity, which is manifested in the richness of their languages, customs, traditions, gastronomy, etc. In the last decades, European culture has been enriched by the contributions of immigrants.
Many languages are spoken in the territory, with 20 official languages in the EU. English is the most spoken, with 47% of the population able to communicate in this language.
Christianity is the majority religion, although a good part of the population follows no religion. Northern countries are dominated by Protestant Christianity, Eastern European countries by Orthodox Christianity, and central, southern, and western countries by Catholicism. There are also other religions such as Judaism and Islam.
The Structure of the Spanish Population
In January 2005, the Spanish population exceeded 44 million. Spain is the fifth-largest country in the European Union. After 1850, there was a significant population growth, which accelerated during the twentieth century. Between 1850 and 1980, the population doubled. Currently, the growth rate is slow.
The Mortality and Birth Rates in Recent Decades
Until the seventies of the twentieth century, the birth rate remained high, especially between 1957 and 1977, the period known as the Spanish baby boom. Since then, the decline in births has been dramatic. At present, our birth rate is among the lowest in the world, around 10.5‰. In 1981, it crossed the threshold of 2.1 children per woman needed to produce the replacement of generations. Today the fertility rate is only 1.3 children per woman.
Mortality is low. It began to decrease significantly later than in other Western European countries. In 1901, the mortality rate was still 25‰. But fifty years later, it reached the levels of developed countries, below 10‰, thanks to advances in medicine and better food.
The decline in infant mortality is even more striking. In the early twentieth century, 200 children were dying before their first birthday out of every 1,000 births. Today, only 5 out of every 1,000 babies are dying.
The natural population growth in Spain is very weak, and it would be even lower without immigrants.
The Population Structure
- The Spanish population is aging. The average age exceeds 40 years, and the proportion of people over 65 years is increasing. In 1900, only 5% of the population was over 65 years old; today, this figure exceeds 17% and is expected to reach 20% in 2020. The Spanish population is aging because few children are born and people live increasingly longer.
- Our life expectancy is one of the highest in the world: 77 years for males and 83 for females. Its growth has been spectacular. One hundred years ago, the average life expectancy of the Spanish was 35 years. In a century, the number of older people has increased almost sevenfold.
Economic Activity in Spain
In a century, Spain has gone from being a basically rural country to presenting an economic structure characteristic of a developed country. Almost 65% of the population works in the service sector, which contributes nearly two-thirds of the country’s wealth. The industry employs 18.1% and construction 12.1%. Agricultural and fishing activities occupy only 5.2% of workers.
Since 1970, there has been a progressive incorporation of women into work outside the home. The female labor force has increased from 13.5% to 46% in 2005. It is a large percentage, although still far from the male activity rate. Moreover, the female unemployment rate is almost double that of men.
Migration in Spain
Internal Migration
Internal migrations have occurred, mainly from the countryside to cities. In the late nineteenth century, farm work began to be mechanized, requiring less labor, and farmers sought work in the industries of the cities. Between 1960 and 1975, the rural exodus was massive.
Most migrants came from rural areas with a stagnant economy and high population growth, especially in Andalusia, Extremadura, parts of Galicia, and the Castilian plateau. They went to industrialized regions such as Catalonia, Madrid, and Valencia. Since 1975, the economic crisis and the closure of many factories have reduced these movements.
External Migration
Since the late nineteenth century, Spanish migration to foreign countries has intensified. They were joined by political refugees during the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorial regime of Francisco Franco. Until the first third of the twentieth century, immigrants settled in Central and South America and, in smaller numbers, in North Africa. Since 1950, some of the richest European countries have become destinations. In 1973, nearly 2 million Spanish people lived in foreign countries.
The global economic crisis meant the end of this intensive emigration. The crisis caused a reduction of jobs in countries that had hitherto benefited from Spanish emigrants.
By contrast, immigration has grown dramatically in recent years, more than in any other EU country. In 2000, only 1% of the Spanish population was foreign, and in 2005, it rose to 9%.
Immigrants also come from other states of the European Union.
Distribution of the Spanish Population
The population is distributed unevenly in the Spanish territory. More than half are concentrated in just four autonomous communities: Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, and Valencia. This situation seems likely to continue in the coming years, as these communities continue to gain population.
By contrast, three other communities—Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, and Extremadura—house only 15% of the total population, although they comprise just over half the land area.
The differences are even greater at the provincial level. Population densities in the provinces of Soria and Teruel do not reach 10 inhabitants per km2, compared to 724 inhabitants per km2 in Madrid.
In the provinces, the population is concentrated in cities, particularly in capitals, while the countryside is almost deserted.