Rise in number of Spaniards living abroad

The number of Spaniards living abroad continued to rise in 2014, the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE) said Wednesday.

Figures indicate that 2.18 million Spaniards now officially live abroad, 48 percent more than in 2009 as the economic crisis was beginning to take a grip on the country. In 2009, there were 1.47 million Spaniards resident in other countries.

The INE based their study on the number of people registered as living in another country in order to maintain their right to vote in elections. This register, known as the "Pere," confirms that last year saw 174,571 Spaniards pack their bags to leave the country.

The net rise in Spaniards living abroad was 124,995, given that around 50,000 also decided to return to their homeland.

The number of Spaniards living abroad is probably higher than 2.18 million given that it is not obligatory to sign the Pere when emigrating.

Two out of three of those who left Spain were born outside the country and later took on Spanish nationality, while 33 percent of those who left were born in Spain.

A total of 107,594 of emigrants moved to live in the Americas, 57,209 moved to another European country, 5,247 to Asia, 3,342 to Africa and 1,179 to Oceania.

INE said 64.1 percent of the emigrants were of working age, between 16 and 64, while 30 percent were younger than 16. Endit