The population of the Balearics increased to 1,232,270 inhabitants in the first half of 2022, which represents a growth of 0.68% compared to the same period of the previous year, the second largest increase in the country.
This is the result of data published today by the National Statistics Institute (INE), which also reflects a positive migratory balance of 9,265 people, while the internal migratory balance - between communities - was negative (-400 people) in the Balearics.
On a national level, the population increased by 182,141 people in the first half of the year, standing at 47,615,034 inhabitants on 1 July 2022, the maximum since records began.
This population growth in the first half of the year was due to a positive migratory balance of 258,547 people, 137.9 percent more than in the same period of 2021, (478,990 immigrations and 220,443 emigrations) which was reduced by acquisitions of Spanish nationality (which affected 105,639 people, according to provisional data). This figure offset the natural increase (the difference between births and deaths), which was negative by 75,409 persons.
The number of foreigners in Spain increased by 172,456 in the first half of 2022, reaching 5,579,947 people. This figure had not grown so much since the second half of 2019 and is the maximum in the historical series, according to the INE.
Among the main nationalities, the largest increases in the first half of the year were among the Colombian population (60,142 more people), Ukrainian (48,396 more) and Venezuelan (31,703 more). And the biggest decreases were in Romania (11,751 fewer people), the United Kingdom (-8,381) and China (-5,058).
In relative terms, the largest increases were for nationals of Ukraine (45.8%), Peru (20.1%) and Colombia (19.1%). In contrast, the largest decreases were among nationals from Ecuador (-2.8%), the United Kingdom (-2.7%) and China (-2.6%).
Among the foreign nationalities that emigrated the most in the first half of 2022, different behaviours can be observed. Thus, of the 20,511 Romanians who emigrated, the highest number of entries had been concentrated in 2006 and 2007, as well as in 2018 and 2019.
On the other hand, of the 16,777 Moroccans who emigrated, they had arrived in Spain to a greater extent in the most recent years (from 2017 to 2020).
Finally, the 12,553 Britons who emigrated in the same period represented highest number of new residents between 2016 and 2019 - but now they appear to moving elsewhere.