On 1 January 2007, there were 33,006 foreign youths in the Basque Country Municipal Register. Compared with 2006 data, there has been an increase of 4,665 foreign youths. Young immigrants represent 9% of young people living in the Basque Country, 2% more than in 2006.

There is practically the same percentage of male and female immigrants, although with a slight predominance of the latter.

Concerning age groups, 49.6% are between 25 and 29 years of age, 32.6% are between 20 and 24 and 17.8% are young people in the 15 to 19 age group.

America and Europe are the main continents of origin of young people who have immigrated to the Basque Country. Consequently, 51.0 % come from America, 25.4% are from Europe, 18.3% come from Africa and, finally, less than 10% come from Asia and Oceania. A greater number of girls than boys has been detected among young American immigrants; on the other hand, in the case of European or African youths, there are more boys than girls, especially among the African arrivals.

Source: Municipal Register 01/01/07. INE and own data

Nine out of ten young people who com from America are from South America and most young people who come from Europe, are from European Union member states (90.6%).


Comparison with the situation in Spain

Foreign youths living in the Basque Country are younger, on average, than those living in Spain: 33.5% in the Basque Country and 29.7% in Spain are under 30 years of age.

However, and due to the greater number of immigrant arrivals at state level, foreign youths represent 15% of the young people in Spain while they only represent 9% of Basque youths.

If we take into account their continents of origin, most of the young people living in the Basque Country and those living in Spain come from America, but there are differences. The main difference is that half of young immigrants living in the Basque Country are from America, while this can only be said of 39.2% in Spain. The second largest number of foreign youths, both in the Basque Country and in Spain, com from Europe; but, in this case, the percentage of this group is lower in the Basque Country than in Spain (25.4% and 36.0%, respectively).

Therefore, while America and Europe are the points of origin of most young immigrants in Spain, in the Basque Country, most come from America.

Source: Municipal Register 01/01/07. INE and own data

Browse the related data:
Statistic Indicators about foreign young people registered in the Basque Country

Related links:
Statistics of the Basque Youth Observatory