Dramatic demographic changes in Spain have resulted in half of all households being composed of single adults or childless couples.
Until the end of the 20th century, most households comprised a couple and their children.
But from 1977 on, the number of childless couples has increased threefold, going from 1.5 million to 4.4 million, according to a new study on social and economic issues in Spain.
At the same time, single person households have risen fivefold since 1977, going from 700,000 to a whopping 3.8 million in just 40 years. Single occupancy homes now comprise 22% of all households in Spain.
The report, “Demographic Challenges”, credits several factors for the change. Prominent among them are emigration, a chronically low birth rate, divorce and an ageing population.
Hundreds of thousands of young Spaniards are believed to have left the country in search of better prospects elsewhere. The highest levels have been from Madrid, Catalonia and Valencia.
Even in 2015 when economic recovery was beginning to take root, there was a striking increase of 23% over the previous year, according to the National Statistics Institute.
Spain has one of the lowest fertility rates in the EU. With an average of 1.32 children, it is just ahead of Greece, Cyprus and Portugal.
Moreover, women are leaving it longer before embarking on motherhood. The average age is 32, the oldest age for first time mothers in any EU country. The impact of the economic meltdown accounts in part for some of the delay.
Last year, more people died in Spain than were born. The previous time this happened was back in 1941.
Spaniards enjoy one of the greatest longevity rates in the world. Average life expectancy is 82.5 years.
