The registered population in Spain has grown over the last year by half a million people, to stand at 46.661.950 inhabitants, 12% of them foreigners.

According to provisional data from the latest census published today by the National Institute of Statistics, the increase of the registered population is due mainly to foreigners. The population has increased by 329.929 foreigners, compared to 174.199 Spaniards.

However, the registration rate among foreigners has fallen by almost half, during recent years. The number of immigrants grew from 600.000 to 750.000 annually

Of the total enrolled, 49,5% are men and 50,5% women, percentages that are similar in the case of foreigners (53,1% males and 46,9% women).

By age, 15,5% of the registered population in Spain are less than 16 years of age, 43,3% are between 16 and 44, and 41,2% are older than 45 years old.