The population of the province – what’s happening?

I’ve been looking at the population of the province, for no particular reason, other than a scary headline in the La Voz screaming population plummets as Almerienses go abroad for work. How true is this? Well, first off, let’s remember that the official data is screwed by the fact that many guiris don’t bother registering on the townhall, and so don’t get counted. And a big push last year to update the census caused populations Continue reading The population of the province – what’s happening?

Are Brits fleeing Spain or flooding in? Depends who you ask!

Two very contrasting stories about Almería house sales appear today in the British vs Spanish press. The Telegraph runs a piece on “End to Mediterranean dream for 90,000 Britons who left Spain last year  – British expatriates are deserting Spain in droves, according to new figures from Spain’s national statistics institute “, together with some interesting interviews from ex-expats from Arboleas, and a bit from Maura Hillen of AUAN. It’s prompted by the news that Continue reading Are Brits fleeing Spain or flooding in? Depends who you ask!

50 families interested in Bayarcal free homes offer in the first week

Bayárcal town hall, which is offering three free homes to anyone with kids who wants to go and live there, has been swamped with offers in the first week. In a sign of the economic times, 50 families from across the province have so far filled in application forms.

Bayarcal offering free homes to families to prevent school closure

The tiny village of Bayárcal, up above Almeria in the Alpujarras, has seen its population dip below the level deemed necessary to keep the village school open. There are only 360 people in the village, most of them elderly, and just 14 children.

Spanish population plummets as immigrants flee

Spain lost 135.538 people last year as emigration outstripped immigration, and immigrants continued to hand in their residencias at record rates. The stats office INE say that over 200,000 immigrants renounced their residency in 2013, compared to just 15.229 in 2012. And only births registered to Spaniards outstripped deaths by just 54.482 in 2013, almost half that of 2012. Spain already suffered from one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and la crisis Continue reading Spanish population plummets as immigrants flee