Country report non-discrimination : transposition and implementation at national level of Council Directives 2000/43 and 2000/78 : Spain 2020

There have been great social and political changes in Spain over the past 44 years. Major transformations have taken place in the country's social structure, forming a much more diverse society in ethnic and religious (and other) terms. Two of the major interrelated changes have been a demographic transformation and the conversion of Spain into a country of net immigration. Between 1975 and 2019 the population has grown from 36 million to 47 million, although the birth-rate sharply declined in 1976, which, together with the increase in life expectancy, has radically transformed the age structure. In 1975, 44 % of the population were aged 25 or younger and 10 % were 65 or older; in 2019, these figures are 25 % and 20 % respectively. Related to this change is the transformation of Spain into a country of immigration. Up to the mid-1980s, the only notable differentiated ethnic group was that formed by the 600 000 Spanish Roma. In the late 1990s, immigration underwent a very sharp acceleration, and by 30 June 2019 the number of foreigners with legal residence in Spain was 5 535 079, which represents 11.8 % of the total population. The largest groups are from Romania, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Italy, China, Bulgaria and Germany. The rapid rise in immigration poses new challenges to Spanish society, including increased risks related to discriminatory practices. Some 80 % of Spaniards are Catholics (mostly non-practising), 4 % are members of other religious groups (chiefly Islam and Protestantism) and 16 % are non-believers or atheists.