Going to Spain, we most often think about what we will see from the sights, which beach we will go to and what new things we will learn about the culture of the country. However, few people think that the attractiveness of tourism in Spain directly depends on the indigenous population of the Iberian Peninsula. Let's get into the ethnicity of the Spanish people.
Today, the population of Spain is about 40 million people. Over the past few centuries, its growth has been very low. Since the mid-16th century, when the population of Spain is approximately 7.5 million, it has doubled in 300 years. After which, over the next century, it doubled. By the middle of the 20th century, the population was about 30 million people.
At times, population growth went negative, due to the large flow of emigrants in the early 1900s in connection with the opening of the New World. In addition, at this time, the mortality rate was decreasing in parallel with the birth rate.
The population of Spain has the lowest density in the European Union - an average of 78 people per square kilometer. But, as in other countries, a large concentration of residents is concentrated in peripheral zones and cities, which is associated with economic and social inequality. It is interesting that the female population of Spain is larger than the male.
The ethnic composition and origin of the Spaniards
The population of Spain is quite diverse, which is associated with repeated invasions of its lands. Initially, the Iberians inhabited the Iberian Peninsula (from about 3 millennium BC). Starting from Art. 7 BC. the southeast and south coast was built up by Greek colonies, but a century later they were supplanted by the Carthaginians. In the same period, the Celts conquered the northern and central regions of the peninsula. The Second Punic War ended with the victory of the Romans, and they settled most of the territory. Their dominance on the Iberian Peninsula lasted more than 600 years. After that, the Visigoths began to populate the lands of modern Spain with their state, with a center in the city of Toledo. It existed until the Moors invaded North Africa in 711. For nearly 800 years, the Arabs held their power here. Among other things, for 1500 years, Jews (300-500 thousand people) lived in Spain.
The racial and ethnic differences did not interfere with numerous mixed marriages. In this regard, most representatives of the second generation of Muslims have become people of mixed blood. When Christianity was officially adopted in Spain , the Jews and Muslims experienced discrimination. Therefore, they had to accept a new religion in order not to be expelled.
Speaking about the appearance, people with Afro-Semitic and Arabic traits are often found among Spaniards. This was the origin of the catchphrase "Africa begins in the Pyrenees." At the same time, many northern inhabitants of the country inherited from the Celts and Visigoths light skin, blue eyes and blond hair. The southern areas are mostly inhabited by dark-eyed dark-skinned brunettes.
Today, the population of Spain consists of 75% of the Spaniards, the remainder are Galicians, Basques and Catalons. 95% of the inhabitants are Catholics, the rest are Protestants (Muslims and Jews). This is a brief ethnological description of Spain.