Foreign Residents in Spain

Abstract

The objective of this note, is to offer some indication of the evolution of the nacionality of foreigners residents in Spain. The number of foreign residents has increased constantly since the 1940s, occasionally interupted by minor fluctuations. However, the rate of increase accelerated rapidly during the 1980s, with the increase in immigration. In fact the influx of a large number of undocumented immigrants made it necessary to undertake regulatory procedures on two occasions (1958-86 and 1991). Europeans, especially from European Community countries, constitute a large percentage of foreign residents, together with Third World nationals who have increased greatly in number over the last ten years.