Register of Inhabitants Residing Abroad. 2025
The number of Catalans residing abroad was 406,679 people on 1 January 2025, which represents a year-over-year growth of 5.2% compared to a year ago. These are Spanish nationals who live abroad and whose last registration was in Catalonia. 31.1% of those residents abroad were born in Catalonia and 3.4% in the rest of Spain, while the majority were born abroad (65.4%).
By country of residence, France is in first place with 59,697 Catalan residents followed by the United Kingdom with 37,568, Argentina with 35,012 and in fourth place Germany with 34,045.
The Catalan-born population living abroad (126,654 people) resides mainly in Europe (68.7%) and to a lesser extent in America (25.6%). By country, France ranks first (with 22,537 residents born in Catalonia), followed by the United Kingdom (14,752), Germany (13,858), Andorra (10,285) and the United States (9,195).
Of the 265,774 people born abroad, 194,478 were born in the same country where they reside while 71,296 were born in other countries. The population born in the same country of residence is mostly in America (61.1%) and to a lesser extent in Europe (33.7%). By country, Argentina is the leader (with 29,488 residents) followed by France (20,434), Mexico (17,587), Germany (11,176) and Brazil (10,350). By contrast, those born in a country other than their country of residence live mainly in Europe (69.7%) and to a lesser extent in America (26.9%).
By counties, 206,409 residents abroad had their last registration in El Barcelonès. They are followed in absolute numbers by people from El Vallès Occidental (28,055) and El Baix Llobregat (22,015). All counties have more people registered abroad in 2025 than in the previous year. The largest relative increases are in El Pla de l’Estany (9.9%), L’Alt Penedès (8.4%), La Noguera (8.2%) and L’Alta Ribagorça (7.8%).
Regarding the last registered municipalities, 183,318 residents abroad are registered in the municipality of Barcelona. They are followed by those registered in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (9,528), Terrassa (8,318), Badalona (8,057) and Sabadell (8,025). In relation to 2024, the largest increases among municipalities with more than 1,000 residents abroad are in Salou (up by 8.9%), followed by Vilafranca del Penedès, Roses, Martorell and Figueres (with rises of more than 7.5%).
In 2024, there were 33,757 new registrations in the consular registers due to birth, naturalisation, omission or emigration from Catalonia.
France is the country with the highest number of new registrations (4,139). It is followed by the United Kingdom (3,208), Argentina (2,997), the United States (2,279) and Germany (2,257). America was the leading continent for new registrations (16,040) ahead of Europe (14,798).
By place of birth, 74.0% of the new registrations in 2024 were born abroad, 24.3% were born in Catalonia and 1.7% in the rest of Spain.
This publication for the first time provides information on new registrations by country and continent of residence, cross-referenced with their place of birth.