Across the Atlantic Ocean we go to Southern Europe and the country of Spain!
...but first a little history about Spain as brought to you by: spain.info
"The history of Spain is a compendium of influences from the different cultures that have lived in the country.
The first settlers on the Peninsula were the Celts and the Iberians. The first testimonials written about the country date back to this period. It is said that Hispania (the name the Romans used to describe the Peninsula) is a word of Semitic origin from Hispalis (Seville). From the year 1100 B.C. and until the middle of the 3rd century B.C., commercial and cultural contact with high Mediterranean civilisations was held with the Phoenicians and Greeks. At the end of this era, both civilisations were taken over by the Carthaginians and Romans, respectively. The Roman presence in Hispania lasted for seven centuries, during which time the basic borders of the Peninsula in relation to other European towns were set up. In addition to territorial administration, many more institutions were inherited from Rome such as the concept of family, Latin as a language, religion and law. At the start of the 5th century new settlers from the North arrive and settle on the Peninsula: the Visigoths in the interior and the Swabians on the West. This Germanic people saw themselves as the continuators of the weakened Imperial power. Integration between Hispanic-Germanics was a rapid process, with the exception of the Northeast of the peninsula, inhabited by Basques, Cantabrians and Asturians, who resisted the infiltration of the Romans, Visigoths and later the Muslims.
The decomposition of the Visigoth state apparatus would lead to the successive infiltration of Arab and Berber troops from the other side of the Straits of Gibraltar at the beginning of the 8th century. In the middle of the 8th, century the Muslims had completed occupation and Cordoba became the centre of the flourishing Andalusian state. The Arab presence in Spain would last for almost seven centuries and leave an indelible mark on the Spanish cultural heritage. Following a long period of peaceful coexistence, the small Christian strongholds in the North of the Peninsula took on a leading role in the Reconquest, which ended with the capture of Granada in 1492 under the reign of the Catholic King and Queen, traditionally considered the founders of peninsular unity and the imperial management of the Spanish revival. Also during the reign of the Catholic King and Queen and under their auspice, Columbus discovered the New Continent (America), new boundary of what would be the largest Western empire. The 16th century represents the zenith of Spanish hegemony in the world, a process that would last until the middle of the 17th century. With the Catholic King and Queen, and in particular with Phillip II, what was the prototype of the absolutist modern State in the 16th century was fully established. Following the death of Charles II, the last of the Austrians, who died without having had children, Phillip V inaugurated the dynasty of the Borbons of Spain. The Spanish Enlightenment is characterised as being an era of exterior harmony, reformations and interior development. The crisis of the Old Order opened the doorway to the Napoleonic invasion. The War of Independence was a war against the French invasion, but also a revolutionary war due to the decisive involvement of the people and the clear formation of a national conscience that would later shape the 1812 Constitution. The Courts of Cadiz thereby enacted one of the first Constitutions of the world which ratified that sovereignty would reside in the nation.
The conflict between liberalists and absolutists, or in other words, between two different ways of perceiving the establishment of the state, would be one of the longest Spanish conflicts throughout the 19th century. The brief reign of Amadeo de Saboya, the first republican experience and the subsequent restoration of the monarchy, under the rule of Alfonso XII, take Spain to the beginning of the 20th century with a series of serious unresolved problems that intensify following the definitive loss of the last strongholds of the colonial empire: Cuba and the Philippines. Despite the interruption of the First World War in which Spain remained neutral and following the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, the monarchical crisis returns, resulting in the exile of King Alfonso XIII. The ballot box is introduced into Spain and with it the first democratic experience of the 20th century: the second Republic, a brief attempt to introduce the reformations the country needed, frustrated by General Franco's military rising and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936.
The military victory of General Franco gave way to a long dictatorial period that would last until 1975; it was an era characterised by an iron control of interior politics and isolation from the international environment, which did not however prevent an incipient economic development in the sixties. Following the death of General Franco, the Spanish people peacefully made the transition from dictatorship to democracy in a process known as 'the Spanish model'. Don Juan Carlos I, as King of the Spanish people, became the chief of a social and democratic state of law, which moulded the Constitution of 1978. In 2014 his son, King Felipe VI, succeeded him to the throne."
Image Source: wikimedia.org
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Spain (España) 2018
1 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 713,320
2 Romania (România) 596,595
3 Ecuador 408,798
4 Colombia 386,331
5 United Kingdom 288,935
6 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 261,121
7 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 244,671
8 France 208,014
9 Perú 200,571
10 Germany (Deutschland) 193,229
11 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 170,447
12 China, People's Republic of 165,793
13 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 150,208
14 Cuba 144,957
15 Italy (Italia) 135,352
16 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 116,702
17 Brasil 115,562
18 Portugal 104,457
19 Ukraine 96,809
20 Russian Federation (Russia) 87,885
21 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 75,509
22 Honduras 73,323
23 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 68,474
24 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 62,692
25 Poland (Polska) 60,529
26 Chile 57,126
27 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 56,390
28 Pakistan 55,833
29 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 54,948
30 Sénégal 52,501
31 United States of America 50,619
32 Netherlands (Nederland) 47,976
33 Belgium, Kingdom of 47,768
34 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 47,147
35 India (Bhārat) 39,848
36 Nicaragua 30,302
37 Nigeria 28,008
38 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 21,300
39 Moldova, Republic of 19,612
40 Sweden 19,593
41 Gambia, The 17,819
42 Mali 17,105
43 Lithuania (Lietuva) 15,565
44 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 14,979
45 Norway (Norge) 14,438
46 Finland (Suomi) 12,547
47 Ghana 12,252
48 Bangladesh 12,058
49 Denmark (Danmark) 11,161
50 Guinea (Guinée) 9,956
Population by foreign country of birth: 6,200,933
Total Population: 46,659,302
Source: INE (Spain)
*Spain has the largest population of people born in Equatorial Guinea, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay & Uruguay outside of their regions of origin (e.g., Africa, South America). It also has one of the largest populations of people born in Morocco & Romania outside of their countries.
The immigrant population of Spain has shrunk since the 2011 Census as a result of their 2008–2014 financial crisis but is starting to increase again now that the economy has improved. The make up of the foreign born closely resembles that of Italy's (with maybe a dash of France) than most other European countries.
Image Source: wikimedia.org
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Spain (España) 2011
1 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 772,126
2 Romania (România) 750,901
3 Ecuador 474,075
4 Colombia 374,642
5 United Kingdom 317,950
6 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 272,198
7 Germany (Deutschland) 209,982
8 France 209,144
9 Perú 198,547
10 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 190,997
11 China, People's Republic of 164,368
12 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 155,153
13 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 146,613
14 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 144,571
15 Portugal 128,639
16 Brasil 120,436
17 Cuba 116,852
18 Italy (Italia) 93,961
19 Ukraine 81,304
20 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 80,571
21 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 79,850
22 Poland (Polska) 71,524
23 Pakistan 68,279
24 Russian Federation (Russia) 66,478
25 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 63,191
26 Chile 62,626
27 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 59,201
28 Sénégal 55,748
29 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 47,609
30 Netherlands (Nederland) 47,004
31 Belgium, Kingdom of 42,107
32 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 41,020
33 United States of America 37,524
34 India (Bhārat) 36,662
35 Nigeria 36,045
36 Honduras 33,334
37 Mali 22,016
38 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 20,353
39 Gambia, The 18,731
40 Sweden 18,609
41 Lithuania (Lietuva) 18,473
42 Moldova, Republic of 17,129
43 Nicaragua 17,057
44 Norway (Norge) 15,396
45 Ghana 14,239
46 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 13,840
47 Guinea (Guinée) 11,265
48 Denmark (Danmark) 11,264
49 Finland (Suomi) 11,063
50 Bangladesh 10,998
Population by foreign country of birth: 6,307,277
Total Population: 46,815,916
Source: INE (Spain), Census 2011
Top 50 Non-Spain Total In-flow by country of birth
Spain (España) 2017
1 Venezuela 51,050 9.59%
2 Morocco 40,717 7.65%
3 Colombia 37,472 7.04%
4 Romania 29,612 5.56%
5 United Kingdom 20,711 3.89%
6 Italy 18,683 3.51%
7 Honduras 18,426 3.46%
8 Peru 15,858 2.98%
9 Argentina 15,099 2.84%
10 Brazil 15,011 2.82%
11 Ecuador 14,457 2.72%
12 Dominican Republic 11,455 2.15%
13 China 11,182 2.10%
14 France 11,105 2.09%
15 Cuba 11,015 2.07%
16 Germany 8,772 1.65%
17 Paraguay 8,639 1.62%
18 Ukraine 7,929 1.49%
19 United States of America 7,874 1.48%
20 Russia 7,440 1.40%
21 Bolivia 7,411 1.39%
22 Pakistan 7,053 1.32%
23 Mexico 6,444 1.21%
24 Nicaragua 6,250 1.17%
25 Bulgaria 5,953 1.12%
26 Algeria 5,023 0.94%
27 India 4,909 0.92%
28 Portugal 4,768 0.90%
29 Senegal 4,539 0.85%
30 Chile 4,342 0.82%
31 Netherlands 3,960 0.74%
32 Belgium 3,857 0.72%
33 Uruguay 3,768 0.71%
34 Poland 3,166 0.59%
35 Philippines 2,974 0.56%
36 Bangladesh 2,113 0.40%
37 Sweden 1,994 0.37%
38 Switzerland 1,898 0.36%
39 Equatorial Guinea 1,806 0.34%
40 Moldova 1,600 0.30%
41 Ireland 1,577 0.30%
42 Nigeria 1,491 0.28%
43 The Gambia 1,434 0.27%
44 Ghana 1,300 0.24%
45 Lithuania 1,263 0.24%
46 Mali 1,149 0.22%
47 Norway 1,113 0.21%
48 Finland 1,066 0.20%
49 Denmark 824 0.15%
50 Guinea 787 0.15%
51 Mauritania 484 0.09%
Other European Union countries 5,204 0.98%
Other African countries 5,148 0.97%
Other countries of North America 891 0.17%
Other Central American and Caribbean countries 6,300 1.18%
Other South American countries 39 0.01%
Other Asian countries 11,461 2.15%
Oceania 926 0.17%
Total In-flow by country of birth (not net flow): 532,482
Net Migration: 164,604
of Spaniards -9,627
of foreign nationals 174,231
Source: INE (Spain)
Now we explore the largest metro area in Spain...
Image Source: wikimedia.org
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Madrid, Spain (España) 2011
1 Romania (România) 182,620
2 Ecuador 151,087
3 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 86,925
4 Colombia 86,713
5 Perú 84,428
6 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 55,643
7 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 41,774
8 China, People's Republic of 40,744
9 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 39,818
10 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 29,245
11 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 25,764
12 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 25,464
13 France 25,293
14 Cuba 21,702
15 Poland (Polska) 20,829
16 Brasil 20,421
17 Ukraine 17,442
18 Germany (Deutschland) 16,883
19 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 15,924
20 Portugal 14,033
21 Chile 13,268
22 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 12,807
23 Italy (Italia) 11,683
24 United Kingdom 11,674
25 United States of America 11,133
26 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 8,190
27 Nigeria 7,508
28 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 6,833
29 Honduras 6,759
30 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 6,162
31 Russian Federation (Russia) 6,103
32 Bangladesh 4,411
33 Belgium, Kingdom of 3,426
34 Sénégal 2,975
35 Netherlands (Nederland) 2,955
36 Pakistan 2,951
37 Nicaragua 2,881
38 Moldova, Republic of 2,852
39 India (Bhārat) 2,588
40 El Salvador 2,574
41 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 2,291
42 Guatemala 2,173
43 Mali 1,893
44 Guinea (Guinée) 1,718
45 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1,705
46 Cabo Verde 1,542
47 Sweden 1,525
48 Japan 1,522
49 Guinea-Bissau (Guiné-Bissau) 1,439
50 Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 1,438
Population by foreign country of birth: 1,184,081
Metropolitan Area Population: 6,421,874
...and now we travel to the Catalan region and Spain's 2nd largest metro area...
Image Source: Everystockphoto
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Barcelona, Spain (España) 2011
1 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 131,580
2 Ecuador 82,612
3 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 48,079
4 Perú 47,930
5 Colombia 45,351
6 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 43,139
7 China, People's Republic of 37,071
8 Pakistan 34,926
9 Romania (România) 33,075
10 France 30,004
11 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 28,044
12 Italy (Italia) 19,859
13 Brasil 19,708
14 Chile 17,414
15 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 16,923
16 Germany (Deutschland) 16,682
17 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 15,636
18 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 13,267
19 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 13,247
20 Cuba 12,666
21 India (Bhārat) 11,886
22 United Kingdom 11,571
23 Russian Federation (Russia) 11,460
24 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 10,025
25 Sénégal 9,657
26 Honduras 8,642
27 Ukraine 8,505
28 Portugal 8,263
29 Poland (Polska) 7,399
30 United States of America 6,919
31 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 5,628
32 Gambia, The 5,530
33 Netherlands (Nederland) 4,776
34 Bangladesh 4,492
35 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 4,376
36 Ghana 4,050
37 Nigeria 3,993
38 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 3,992
39 Georgia (Sak'art'velo) 3,229
40 Belgium, Kingdom of 3,110
41 Mali 3,109
42 El Salvador 2,824
43 Guinea (Guinée) 2,682
44 Armenia (Hayastan) 2,670
45 Sweden 2,299
46 Japan 2,034
47 Moldova, Republic of 1,987
48 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 1,689
49 Nicaragua 1,602
50 Andorra, Principality of 1,552
Population by foreign country of birth: 901,409
Metropolitan Area Population: 5,522,565
...southwest we go to the 3rd largest in Spain that like Barcelona is situated along the Balearic Sea...
Image Source: gemeuroteam.org
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Valencia/València, Spain (España) 2011
1 Romania (România) 48,676
2 Ecuador 28,011
3 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 24,238
4 Colombia 23,709
5 France 22,169
6 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 18,966
7 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 16,646
8 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 14,785
9 United Kingdom 9,741
10 China, People's Republic of 9,122
11 Germany (Deutschland) 6,781
12 Ukraine 6,352
13 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 6,282
14 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 6,272
15 Italy (Italia) 6,066
16 Pakistan 6,008
17 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 5,637
18 Cuba 5,027
19 Brasil 4,797
20 Lithuania (Lietuva) 4,198
21 Perú 3,966
22 Poland (Polska) 3,329
23 Nigeria 3,287
24 Portugal 2,816
25 Sénégal 2,748
26 Russian Federation (Russia) 2,743
27 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 2,695
28 India (Bhārat) 2,613
29 Armenia (Hayastan) 2,496
30 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 2,419
31 Chile 2,362
32 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 2,307
33 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 1,983
34 Honduras 1,815
35 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 1,675
36 Belgium, Kingdom of 1,541
37 Netherlands (Nederland) 1,406
38 United States of America 1,406
39 Mali 1,342
40 Latvia (Latvija) 778
41 Georgia (Sak'art'velo) 643
42 Czech Republic (Česká Republika) 633
43 Guinea (Guinée) 623
44 Ghana 594
45 Slovak Republic (Slovenská republika/Slovakia) 566
46 Hungary (Magyarország) 540
47 Moldova, Republic of 539
48 Nicaragua 536
49 Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 452
50 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 444
Population by foreign country of birth: 334,381
Metropolitan Area Population: 2,563,342
...even further to the southwest of Spain we go to a city that is famous for its flamenco dancing (among other things)...
Image Source: European Best Destinations
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Sevilla, Spain (España) 2011
1 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 12,449
2 Romania (România) 11,029
3 Colombia 6,112
4 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 5,921
5 Germany (Deutschland) 4,962
6 Ecuador 4,677
7 France 4,205
8 China, People's Republic of 4,037
9 Perú 3,989
10 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 3,299
11 United Kingdom 2,629
12 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 2,337
13 Brasil 2,319
14 Portugal 1,995
15 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1,923
16 Russian Federation (Russia) 1,799
17 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 1,639
18 Italy (Italia) 1,636
19 Cuba 1,581
20 United States of America 1,377
21 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 1,331
22 Ukraine 1,280
23 Nigeria 1,276
24 Belgium, Kingdom of 1,138
25 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 1,137
26 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 1,114
27 Nicaragua 917
28 Sénégal 797
29 Chile 746
30 Poland (Polska) 737
31 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 728
32 Netherlands (Nederland) 611
33 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 610
34 Armenia (Hayastan) 437
35 Lithuania (Lietuva) 290
36 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 269
37 Honduras 261
38 El Salvador 241
39 Mauritania, Islamic Republic of 224
40 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 192
41 Guatemala 189
42 India (Bhārat) 183
43 Georgia (Sak'art'velo) 177
44 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 175
45 Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) 169
46 Pakistan 166
47 Japan 157
48 Sweden 149
49 Canada 142
50 Cameroon 133
Population by foreign country of birth: 99,320
Metropolitan Area Population: 1,930,941
...after a quick stop in Sevilla we travel on to a port city located on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol, known for its high-rise hotels and resorts jutting up from yellow-sand beaches...It's also quite popular with the British and that city is...
Image Source: bologna-airport.it
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Málaga, Spain (España) 2011
1 United Kingdom 55,710
2 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 42,088
3 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 22,428
4 Germany (Deutschland) 15,724
5 Romania (România) 13,041
6 France 9,517
7 Colombia 9,361
8 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 6,999
9 Ukraine 6,794
10 China, People's Republic of 5,847
11 Ecuador 5,842
12 Netherlands (Nederland) 5,619
13 Finland (Suomi) 5,261
14 Italy (Italia) 4,964
15 Brasil 4,600
16 Belgium, Kingdom of 4,333
17 Denmark (Danmark) 4,269
18 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 4,019
19 Russian Federation (Russia) 3,991
20 Sweden 3,860
21 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 3,767
22 Switzerland (Swiss Confederation) 3,498
23 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 3,452
24 Nigeria 3,256
25 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 2,939
26 Cuba 2,799
27 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 2,277
28 Poland (Polska) 2,246
29 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 2,221
30 Portugal 2,221
31 Norway (Norge) 2,121
32 Chile 2,015
33 Sénégal 1,669
34 United States of America 1,636
35 Perú 1,584
36 India (Bhārat) 1,261
37 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 1,224
38 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 1,100
39 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 961
40 Ghana 780
41 Iran, Islamic Republic of 742
42 Pakistan 740
43 Hungary (Magyarország) 709
44 Austria (Österreich) 631
45 Lithuania (Lietuva) 506
46 Canada 471
47 Moldova, Republic of 391
48 Nicaragua 391
49 Australia 372
50 Czech Republic (Česká Republika) 365
Population by foreign country of birth: 291,660
Metropolitan Area Population: 1,594,808
...and last but not least of our journey through Spain we arrive in Basque Country (Euskal Herria). It is a region that is quite famous for it's delicious cuisine but also for it's unique history, language and culture. The Basque (euskara) language is considered a language isolate (meaning there is no other known living language related to it) and the Basque people's ancestral homeland straddles the westernmost Pyrenees in adjacent parts of northern Spain and southwestern France.
Image Source: lunajets.com
Top 50 Non-Spain countries or places of birth
Bilbao-Bizkaia, Spain 2011
1 Romania (România) 9,167
2 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 9,141
3 Morocco (Al Maghrib) 6,226
4 Colombia 5,816
5 Paraguay (Paraguáype) 3,609
6 Brasil 2,849
7 China, People's Republic of 2,713
8 Ecuador 2,394
9 Portugal 2,056
10 Sénégal 1,906
11 Perú 1,707
12 Algeria (Al Jaza'ir) 1,692
13 Argentine Republic (Argentina) 1,342
14 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1,160
15 Nigeria 887
16 Cuba 852
17 Nicaragua 777
18 Pakistan 723
19 France 618
20 United Kingdom 579
21 Italy (Italia) 526
22 Dominican Republic (República Dominicana) 503
23 Germany (Deutschland) 440
24 Philippines (Pilipinas), Republic of the 428
25 Honduras 427
26 Cameroon 422
27 Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial) 405
28 Ghana 405
29 Chile 396
30 México (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) 375
31 Mali 355
32 Guinea-Bissau (Guiné-Bissau) 325
33 United States of America 314
34 Ukraine 308
35 Congo (Zaire), Democratic Republic of the 305
36 Uruguay, Eastern Republic of 303
37 Mauritania, Islamic Republic of 293
38 Russian Federation (Russia) 266
39 Angola 231
40 Georgia (Sak'art'velo) 226
41 Poland (Polska) 224
42 Bulgaria (Balgariya) 222
43 Moldova, Republic of 201
44 Guinea (Guinée) 193
45 Ireland, Republic of (Éire) 140
46 Nepal 131
47 Bangladesh 112
48 Congo, Republic of the 108
49 India (Bhārat) 103
50 Netherlands (Nederland) 97
Population by foreign country of birth: 70,752
Metropolitan Area Population: 1,156,190
Stay tuned for more! Sweden will be up next time around!
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