Madrid, Spain Population

Madrid is the capital of and the most populous city in Spain. It has 6.6 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area and 3.2 million in the city area. It is the second-largest city in the European Union, surpassed only in Berlin. Madrid covers 604 square kilometers. Madrid is the seat of the country’s government and the residence of the Spanish monarch and is considered the political, economic, and cultural center of Spain.

The population has grown steadily in the past 20 years, going from 4.4 million people in 1991 to its current population of 6.6 million. The city’s population has started to flat line and is not expected to grow much more in the coming years. By 2035, the city is estimated to only gain another 300,000 residents.

An influential city

Madrid is home to many powerful headquarters and influential organizations. These include the headquarters of the UN’s World Tourism Organization, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the Ibero-American General Secretariat, and the Public Interest Oversight Board. It also hosts the Madrid Fashion Week, which attracts over 40,000 visitors and 42 leading designers.

Household income

The household income and spending in Madrid are 12% above the country’s average. The city is also more affluent overall, with 43% of the population classified as wealthy—compared to 28% throughout the rest of the country. The proportion of people who are considered at risk of falling into poverty is at 15%, which is quite a bit lower than country’s average of 21%.

Although the price of residential properties has dropped by almost 40% since 2007, the city’s real estate prices are still only second to London in cost per square footage.

A strong economy

Madrid is one of the largest financial centres in Europe and the largest in Spain. 72% of the country’s 2000 businesses are headquartered in Madrid and the city has 17 universities and 30 research centres.

While the service sector does dominate a good portion of the economy, Madrid is still the second-largest industrial centre after Barcelona, with specialities in high-tech production. Madrid’s advantages have been key in allowing it to capture a large part of foreign investment that has been coming into Spain.

Falling birth rates

Precarious financial situations amongst many young couples have meant that 2019 saw the lowest fertility rate in the country yet. Madrid is one of only three regions in the country that saw more births than deaths during the first six months of 2019. While birth rates are falling, life expectancy has increased and is up to 82 years of age.

Cuisine of Madrid

The dishes of Madrid are an amalgamation of the foods that other communities specialized in that were absorbed by the expanding city. Tapas are very common in Madrid. These small, varied dishes were originally created as a way to stop stagecoach drivers from becoming too inebriated as they travelled from tavern to tavern picking up customers. It was mandated that they have small meals with their drinks to make them not such a menace on the road. These days, tapas are entirely optional but widely enjoyed and recommended. Those partaking visit several bars and order from the variety of dishes, which are then shared amongst the group dining.

The most successful football club

Real Madrid FC is, according to FIFA, the most successful football club of the twentieth century. Founded in 1902, the football club hosts games out of their stadium in Chamartín, in the north of Madrid. The stadium holds more than 81,000 spectators and the football club have never dropped down to second division. The club is also in the process of building a new, larger stadium to install the retractable roof that will cover the new stadium.