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Active population. By sex. Counties and Aran, areas and provinces

Active population. By sex. Counties and Aran, areas and provinces Catalonia Catalunya
Population aged 16 years and more Employed population Unemployed population Total active population
2024 6,822,232 3,498,248 330,516 3,828,764
2023 6,697,754 3,418,566 335,793 3,754,359
2022 6,553,924 3,333,477 365,357 3,698,834
2021 6,522,907 3,201,006 476,662 3,677,668
Source:
2021: Idescat, based on the INE Population and Housing Census.
2022-2024: Idescat, based on the INE Annual Population Census.
Active population. By sex. Men. Counties and Aran, areas and provinces Catalonia Catalunya
Population aged 16 years and more Employed population Unemployed population Total active population
2024 3,330,808 1,825,606 139,087 1,964,693
2023 3,266,941 1,788,237 141,264 1,929,501
2022 3,198,115 1,747,095 154,777 1,901,872
2021 3,182,830 1,680,972 210,241 1,891,213
Source:
2021: Idescat, based on the INE Population and Housing Census.
2022-2024: Idescat, based on the INE Annual Population Census.
Active population. By sex. Women. Counties and Aran, areas and provinces Catalonia Catalunya
Population aged 16 years and more Employed population Unemployed population Total active population
2024 3,491,424 1,672,642 191,429 1,864,071
2023 3,430,813 1,630,329 194,529 1,824,858
2022 3,355,809 1,586,382 210,580 1,796,962
2021 3,340,077 1,520,034 266,421 1,786,455
Source:
2021: Idescat, based on the INE Population and Housing Census.
2022-2024: Idescat, based on the INE Annual Population Census.

Last update: July 8, 2026.

Methodological note

Definition of concepts

Active population

People aged 16 years or more that have an occupation or are available to do so and are performing actions oriented towards finding employment.

Methodological aspects

The source of the information is the population census. The population census is defined as the series of operations that consist of collecting, summarizing, evaluating, analysing and publishing data of a demographic, cultural, economic and social nature of the country's inhabitants and its political-administrative divisions at a given point in time. This operation is aimed at persons residing in dwellings (whether family dwellings or accommodation) or in collective establishments (hotels, residences, nursing homes, etc.).

From 2021 the population census is annual. The questionnaires used in the various censuses and local censuses have not always included the same questions or the same items and, therefore, there may be variations from one year to another.

Data of the population by relationship with the activity are presented, which included information about the profession, the professional situation, the branch of activity and the activity sector. Furthermore, unpaid work data was also incorporated.

In the various statistical operations, the item "employed" was not always the same. Comparability of data between years 2001 and 2011 is affected by the mismatch of the different options in response to the question regarding the activity; thus, in 2011 the options "household chores" and "receiving some kind of teaching and/or training" do not exist, as they are formulated in separate questions.

For the years 2011, 2021 and following, the Catalan Classification of Economic Activities 2009 (CCAE-2009) and the Catalan Classification of Occupations (CCO-2011) have been used.

For further information about these statistics, you may check the methodology.