Latest official figures reveal that Almeria is getting bigger

Almeria province had a registered population of 739,293 on January 1 this year, the Institute of National Statistics (INE) announced.

The province’s 1 per cent growth spurt of 7,501 new inhabitants in only 12 months was the second-largest in Spain, just behind Malaga whose registered population increased by 1.2 per cent.

The pandemic was responsible for a fall in foreign residents registered on their municipal Padron, prompting many to return to their countries of origin.

This trend has now been reversed, as more than half of the newly-registered residents are from outside Spain.

Twenty-two per cent of Almeria province’s population are non-Spanish, a proportion that is double the national average, the INE’s figures revealed.

Although the INE report did not specify where Almeria’s new residents are living, these are located principally in the province’s largest municipalities.