MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Most legal residents in Spain from Latinamerica

The number of legal immigrants in Spain at the end of last September reached over 1,8 million, that is 12,1% above last January and with Latin-Americans as the most numerous community according to a report from the Immigration Standing Observatory released Tuesday in Madrid.

The 600,000 Latinamericans with legal residence are followed by the 478,478 from the 25 country member European Union, Africa 471,285; other European countries, 153.174; Asia 133,147; North America 16,700 and Oceania 1,600.

Moroccans make up the largest number of legal residents, 365.846, followed by Ecuadorians, 202.294; Colombians, 128,367 and British, 121.107, most of which retired and old age pensioners who chose sunny Spain to live.

According to the Spanish Immigration Secretary, Consuelo Rumí, to the legal residents, anywhere between 800,000 and one million undocumented must be added.

Ms. Rumí estimates that by the end of 2004 the number of resident cards and authorizations will experience an increase similar to that of last year, 24,4%. Legal residents in Spain at the end of September represented 4,32% of the total Spanish population; 6,29% of workers out of unemployment insurance and 12,32% of all labour contracts.

Among resident Latinamericans 46% are men and 56,6% women with an average age of 34. The youngest are from Africa, 28 and the oldest, North America, 45 years. Legal residents are mostly in Catalonia, 423.988; Madrid, 394.661; Valencia, 216.353; Andalusia, 208.812; Canary Islands, 122.292; Balearic Islands 88.575, Murcia, 86.108 and Castilla y Leon 52.867. All other regions are below 50,000.