The population of the Canary Islands continues to grow and has now exceeded 2.26 million inhabitants. According to the latest Continuous Population Statistics published by Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), the resident population of the archipelago reached 2,268,035 people in the third quarter of the year.
This represents an increase of 14,205 residents compared with the same quarter of the previous year, and a quarter-on-quarter rise of 0.21%.
Record numbers at national level
Across Spain as a whole, the resident population has reached an all-time record of 49,442,844 people. INE estimates suggest that the total population will have grown by 474,454 people by the end of the year, with 105,488 of that increase occurring in the third quarter alone.
The figures show that this growth is driven almost entirely by foreign-born residents, while the number of people born in Spain continues to decline.
The number of residents born abroad now stands at 9,825,266 people — a figure higher than the number of foreign nationals currently living in Spain. This difference is due to the growing number of foreign-born residents who have acquired Spanish nationality.
During the third quarter:
- The foreign population increased by 78,937 people, reaching 7,132,324.
- The population with Spanish nationality grew by 26,551.
The total number of households in Spain reached 19,684,380 on 1 October 2025, an increase of 55,109 households in just three months.
Foreign migration continues to drive population growth
The INE data reveals that international migration remains the main factor behind demographic growth.
Nationalities of immigrants arriving in Spain (Q3 2025):
- Colombia: 32,100
- Spain (returning nationals): 24,500
- Morocco: 23,400
- Venezuela: 20,500
- Peru: 16,000
- Italy: 8,100
- Algeria: 7,000
- Argentina: 6,100
- Ukraine: 5,900
- Romania: 5,800
Nationalities of emigrants leaving Spain (Q3 2025):
- Spain: 9,100
- Colombia: 8,200
- Morocco: 7,900
- Romania: 4,400
- Peru: 3,800
- Venezuela: 3,500
- Ukraine: 3,300
- Italy: 2,800
- China: 2,200
- Honduras: 1,900
Population increase seen across all regions
Every autonomous community, as well as the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, experienced population growth during the third quarter of 2025.
The highest growth rates were recorded in:
- Valencian Community: +0.40%
- Aragon: +0.36%
- Castile-La Mancha: +0.34%
- Catalonia / Navarre: +0.32%
Growth in other regions:
- La Rioja / Asturias: +0.30%
- Cantabria: +0.27%
- Melilla: +0.24%
- Castile and León: +0.23%
Below the national average (+0.21%):
- Galicia / Balearic Islands: +0.20%
- Murcia: +0.19%
- Basque Country: +0.18%
- Canary Islands: +0.16%
- Extremadura: +0.11%
- Community of Madrid: +0.09%
- Ceuta / Andalusia: +0.06%
