Morocco Emerges as Second Largest Immigration Source in Spain's La Rioja Region

Wednesday 25 December 2024 - 12:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Morocco Emerges as Second Largest Immigration Source in Spain's La Rioja Region

La Rioja, Spain's northern province, has recorded Morocco as its second-largest source of immigrants in 2023, with 1,140 new arrivals - a notable increase from fewer than 1,000 the previous year, according to data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute.

Colombia maintained its position as the primary source country for the second consecutive year, despite experiencing a slight decline of 79 immigrants. Romania held steady in third place, continuing its stable immigration pattern over recent years.

The data revealed some notable shifts in immigration patterns. Ukraine, affected by ongoing conflict, saw dramatic fluctuations in its numbers - from just 9 immigrants in 2021 to 433 in 2022, before declining significantly to 64 in 2023.

In the broader national context, Spain recorded a positive migration balance of approximately 650,000 people, though this represented a decrease of 85,000 compared to 2022. La Rioja registered the lowest migration balance among Spain's autonomous communities at 2,780, excluding only Ceuta and Melilla. The province welcomed a total of 6,537 immigrants in 2023, slightly down from 6,722 in 2022.

Gender demographics showed an interesting shift. While 2022 saw a clear female majority among immigrants (3,504 women versus 3,218 men), 2023 witnessed near parity with just three more women than men (3,270 women to 3,267 men).

Age distribution analysis revealed that the 25-29 age group remained the largest demographic for the second consecutive year, with 732 individuals, suggesting immigration driven by economic opportunities. Conversely, the most significant decrease occurred in the 0-4 age group, dropping from 271 to 222 over the year.

At the municipal level, the capital city Logroño continued to be the primary destination, attracting 2,470 immigrants. The cities of Calahorra and Arnedo followed as secondary destinations, receiving 691 and 327 newcomers respectively, indicating growing settlement patterns in these areas.