The CEU CEFAS Demographic Observatory has published a report titled Demography of Islam in Spain, a study that analyses the evolution of the Muslim population residing in Spain, almost entirely composed of first, and second-generation immigrants, : its territorial distribution, its main demographic characteristics, and its size among younger generations. The report provides an overall snapshot of a growing phenomenon in Spain in recent decades and offers data to better understand its current scale and demographic outlook.
According to the report, the Muslim population living in Spain stood at between 2.4 and 2.5 million people at the beginning of 2025, representing around 5% of the national total. Of this figure, approximately 1.79 million were first-generation immigrants, while around 680,000 individuals were born in Spain to at least one Muslim parent. The study thus highlights that this is a demographic reality linked both to immigration and to the growth of second generations born in Spain.
One of the report’s most significant findings is the size of this population among younger age groups. Based on birth microdata from the National Statistics Institute (INE), the Observatory estimates that 11% of babies born in Spain in 2024 had at least one Muslim parent. This proportion exceeds the share that this population represents within the country as a whole, reflecting a particularly strong presence among younger age groups.
The analysis also shows that this trend is unevenly distributed across the country. In absolute terms, the largest Muslim populations are concentrated in Catalonia, Andalusia, and the Valencian Community. In relative terms, the highest shares are found in Murcia, Catalonia, and La Rioja. In these three regions, 19% of those born in 2024 had at least one Muslim parent. At the provincial level, this percentage reached 28% in Almería, 27% in Girona, 25% in Lleida, 23% in Tarragona, and 22% in Álava.
The report further notes that foreign-born Muslims already account for around 8% of men aged between 20 and 44 in Spain, an age group of particular demographic importance as it accounts for a large share of both births and the working-age population. In some provinces, this proportion is significantly higher, such as in Almería (24%), Lleida (22%), Girona (18%), Tarragona (16%), Murcia (15%), and Huesca, Teruel, and Huelva (13%).
Regarding geographical origin, the study estimates that nearly 85% of first-generation Muslim immigrants come from Africa, and that almost 65% of the total were born in Morocco. After Morocco, the countries of origin with the largest Muslim populations are Pakistan, Senegal, Algeria, Mali, Gambia, and Bangladesh. The report also indicates that approximately 19% of first-generation immigrants residing in Spain are of the Islamic faith.
Another aspect highlighted by the study is that the fertility rate of Muslim women in Spain is significantly higher than that of Spanish women and non-Muslim immigrant women, although it has shown a downward trend in recent years, particularly among Moroccan women. The report suggests that this higher fertility may be linked to two markedly distinct patterns within the Muslim population in Spain:
· More than 90% of Muslim women are married when they become mothers, in contrast to native Spanish women (only 47% since 2022) and non-Muslim immigrant women (even lower on average).
· The employment and Social Security affiliation rates of Muslim women of working age are very low, significantly below those of Spanish women.
Finally, the report provides data on unemployment rates, the receipt of anti-poverty benefits, and crime among Muslims in Spain (all three higher than among non-Muslims, although it is noted with regard to crime that the vast majority of Muslims in Spain do not commit offences), as well as on Muslim immigrants who have acquired Spanish nationality (around one million or slightly more), and their possible political tendencies as voters, in light of developments in France.