Number of foreign residents in Spain stabilised in 2010

According to the Ministry of Labour and Immigration, the number of foreign residents in Spain stabilised in 2010 at just under five million.

The stagnation is being put down to a combination of factors; foreigners becoming Spanish citizens, incentives for foreigners to return home and the current economic situation in the country.

Last year saw a slight increase in the number of foreigners from the EU but a decrease in the numbers from other countries.

The total number of foreign residents increased by 2.83% in 2010, the greatest number coming from Morocco and Rumania with Ecuador, Colombia and the United Kingdom next, but way behind.

Between them, Madrid (17.24% of the total) and Barcelona (14.82% of the total) account for almost one-third of the resident foreign population.

The number of foreign residents from the EU is 2,401,632 and the countries with the most representation are Rumania (840,682), UK (228,829) and Italy (170,051).

The number of foreign residents from non-EU countries is 2,524,976 and the countries with the most representation are Morocco (757,809), Ecuador (369,692) and Colombia (222,061).