Published January 15, 2026 | Category: Infrastructure

TL;DR: Almeria is approaching 90 inhabitants per square kilometre, nearly double its population density from the early 1980s. While this growth has strengthened coastal and metropolitan areas, it is also increasing pressure on housing, infrastructure and resources, while inland municipalities continue to lose demographic weight.

Population Density in Almeria Increases — and the Effects Are No Longer Abstract

Almeria is no longer a sparsely populated province by Spanish standards. With a population density now close to 90 inhabitants per square kilometre, the territory is experiencing a level of demographic pressure that would have seemed unrealistic just a few decades ago.

The land itself has not changed. What has changed is how many people now share it, and where they are concentrated.

From Empty Province to Demographic Growth

In 1980, Almeria had just over 407,000 inhabitants. Today, the figure stands at around 773,500, spread across an area of 8,774 square kilometres. In just over forty years, the population has grown by nearly 90%.

Population density has followed the same trajectory, rising from roughly 46 inhabitants per km² in the early 1980s to 88.2 inhabitants per km² today, according to the latest official figures.

The significance of this shift lies not only in the numbers themselves, but in how quickly the transformation has occurred within just two generations.

According to official population data published by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), Almeria’s population density has nearly doubled over the past four decades, reflecting a structural demographic shift rather than a short-term trend.

Density Is Not Neutral

Higher population density brings consequences. As people concentrate in specific areas, pressure increases on housing availability, land use, transport networks, water supply and public services. These effects are already visible in parts of the province where growth has been strongest.

At the same time, demographic concentration has a mirror effect: municipalities that fail to attract or retain population gradually lose services, economic activity and long-term viability, deepening territorial imbalances.

Growth Concentrated Along the Coast and Urban Areas

Population growth in Almeria is highly uneven. The coastal zones, the Poniente region and the metropolitan area of Population density in Almeria city account for a large share of the increase in population density in Almeria.

These areas concentrate employment opportunities, services, infrastructure and connectivity, giving them a greater capacity to absorb new residents. The Bajo Andarax corridor and the western agricultural belt have followed similar patterns.

In contrast, many inland municipalities remain stagnant or continue to lose population, reinforcing a long-standing demographic divide between coast and interior.

How Almeria Compares Globally and Regionally

On a global scale, Almeria still occupies a middle position. It is far less dense than territories such as Singapore or Macau, where densities exceed 7,000 inhabitants per km², but it is also far removed from extremely sparsely populated regions like Greenland, where density barely reaches 0.03 inhabitants per km².

Within Andalusia, Almeria now shows population density levels comparable to or higher than provinces such as Granada or Jaen, and is gradually approaching Cordoba. Only Malaga remains clearly above it in demographic concentration.

Migration as the Main Growth Driver

One of the key factors behind this demographic evolution is migration. The foreign population, once marginal, has become a structural component of population growth, particularly linked to intensive agriculture, services and urban employment.

Without net migration, current population levels would not be sustainable.

An Ageing Population and Low Birth Rates

Population growth in Almeria coexists with a clear ageing trend. The average age now exceeds 42 years, while birth rates remain low.

The fertility rate has fallen from around three children per woman in the 1980s to approximately 1.45 today, well below the replacement threshold. The province is growing, but not through natural increase.

Pressure That Is Already Being Felt

The effects of rising population density are no longer theoretical. Housing affordability, urban planning constraints, traffic congestion, healthcare capacity and access to basic resources are increasingly shaped by how and where people live within the province.

Almeria’s demographic transformation is still ongoing, but the direction is clear. The challenge now is not growth itself, but managing it in a way that remains functional, balanced and sustainable across the territory.

Follow long-term trends, infrastructure pressures and territorial changes in our Infrastructure section.