“Córdoba has the resources to reverse population migration, despite the current danger.”

-Are we facing a temporary or structural trend in population loss?

-The loss of population in the Córdoba region is not a temporary or instantaneous event, since the maximum in 2012 (802,717 inhabitants) there has been a continuous decline in numbers until the present (770,879 inhabitants as of October 1). Therefore, it can be said that this is not a temporary demographic fact.

-Population loss mainly affects children and young people, and the birth rate problem further complicates the demographic challenge in Cordoba, doesn’t it?

– In the population pyramid, which reflects the gender and age composition of the population of Cordoba, a rather noticeable decline can be observed at its base. Provisional population figures presented on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics for the province of Córdoba show alarming rates regarding the young population, with the group from 0 to 4 years losing 0.71%, the group from 5 to 9 years 3.77% and the group 10 to 14 years losing 1.72% compared to the previous year. In absolute numbers, the young population was reduced by 2,142 individuals. These data clearly indicate a significant decline in birth rates and fertility, which has important demographic, social and economic consequences.

-How has the population evolved in Cordoba over the past fifty years? Has it lived in a steady cycle or has it already reached all-time highs?

The population of Cordoba reached its maximum in the 1960s (798,437 people). Until the 1970s, there was strong migration to other provinces and abroad, which reduced the number to 724,116 individuals. The 1980 census recorded 723,500 people, rising to 751,858 in 1990. From that date until 2012, the county continued to grow to its peak population of 802,717. From that date onwards, a continuous downward cycle of staff began, reaching the current number of 770,879.

– What are the main factors that explain the population decline in Cordoba in recent years?

The reasons that explain this downward dynamic must be sought in a group of demographic, economic and social factors. Among demographic factors, declining fertility or aging of the population stand out. Among the economic reasons is the migration resulting from the search for job opportunities for young people and adults outside the governorate to other more dynamic areas, such as large cities or the coast. Social factors include the search for job promotion and personal development, or in rural areas the disappearance of basic services such as health centers, schools, cultural services, etc.

-Were the epidemic and the crisis among the main reasons?

There is no doubt that they contributed to strengthening this process. The National Institute of Statistics counted 8,427 deaths due to Covid-19 in 2021 in Cordoba, affecting people who occupied the upper levels of the population pyramid. For its part, the economic crisis had an impact on young people who were forced to migrate in search of work.

Neighborhood comparison

-How does Cordoba’s situation differ from other Andalusian or Spanish provinces with similar problems?

During the third quarter of 2025, the population increased in all autonomous regions and in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. The largest increases occurred in the Valencian Community (0.40%), Aragon (0.36%), and Castilla-La Mancha (0.34%). Andalusia, which has traditionally been very dynamic demographically, recorded only an increase of 0.06%. Based on the results of the 2021 Population and Housing Censuses, it is concluded that the provinces of Málaga and Almería exceed the Andalusian average growth per decade, with increases of 6.4% and 6.1% respectively, Huelva equals the Andalusian average growth (1.4%), and Seville, Cádiz, and Granada grow below the average (1.0%, 0.4%, and 0.3%). However, the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba experienced negative population growth in this period (-6.0% and -3.1%, respectively).

– What obstacles does Córdoba face in order not to gain a population, as is the case with other inland provinces such as Jaén or some less touristy provinces such as Almería?

– It is not easy to answer this question in a few words because some phrases have to be qualified. Although Jaén and Almería still face important demographic challenges, they have managed to slow down the demographic decline or even attract residents through intensive olive groves and greenhouse agriculture respectively, along with the development of other sectors such as cultural or coastal tourism. Although Cordoba is exploiting more and more of its historical and cultural heritage, it shows little economic development that retains or attracts young people.

– Which areas of the governorate are losing population the fastest and why?

-There are statistically significant differences between urban areas and regions of Cordoba Governorate. The Sierra Morena and Subetico Córdoba regions are particularly affected, especially small rural centers and sparsely populated municipalities. The reasons relate to a paradigm shift that is not new and has been occurring since the mid-twentieth century. The rural interior has witnessed a crisis characterized by migration and the abandonment of traditional agricultural activities. This is due, among other factors, to changing production models, scarcity of employment opportunities, lack of services and the cultural transformation of rural communities, which has led to increasing dependence on the outside. The logic of the aforementioned economic model transforms rural spaces into suppliers of resources needed to transform, market and consume urban areas within a globalized economy.

-Can we talk about “empty Cordoba” within the province?

– The publication in 2016 of the text “Empty Spain: A Journey to the Country That Never Was” by Sergio del Molino led to increased social and media interest in the phenomenon of population decline. Although population migration is not a recent phenomenon at all, it appears from the perspective of its analysis, treatment and general approach. According to Molinero, one could speak of a dual rural Spain. On the one hand, an empty Spain, which would occupy a very disparate area and coincide with the interior countryside of Spain, which is losing its demographic and economic weight, but is not empty and has not been emptied by anyone. On the other hand, it is the peripheral rural areas of Spain that are winning, growing and strengthening. Part of the province of Córdoba can also be found within empty Spain, along with other tracts in Castile y León, Castilla-La Mancha and Aragon.

– What are the most migrating population groups: youth, families, the elderly…?

-If we look at the official migration statistics issued by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), it turns out that in 2023, there were 3,188 people who left the province of Córdoba, of whom 1,606 were men and 1,558 were women. In previous years, 2022 and 2021, the numbers were slightly higher, without reaching 3,500 soldiers. Regarding the characteristics of the migrants, they are young men and women, looking for job offers in the liberal professions, construction or restoration. The most common destinations are coastal tourist areas, large Spanish cities or even some European and Latin American countries.

-What is the effect of immigration on population decline?

– In 2023, there were more immigrants than immigrants, leaving a migration balance of 3,092 people, according to the National Institute of Statistics. However, the foreign population in Cordoba is five times lower than the national average. According to municipal registry data for 2022, 772,464 people live in Córdoba Province, of whom 21,573 are foreigners. This represents 2.8% of the population, compared to 13.4% of the population of Spain as a whole on the same dates.

– Could the heritage or cultural fabric of the governorate’s cities be affected if this negative trend continues?

-definitely. In recent decades, the active population has declined in percentage terms due to aging and youth migration. Agriculture and traditional industry have slowed down due to the lack of generational alternatives, and there is a development towards outsourcing, with the growth of services. Household income levels and activity rates remain below regional and national averages. These conditions have a significant impact on the loss of heritage and associated cultural elements, such as traditional habitats, agricultural properties, public roads, fences or traditional crafts. Furthermore, environmental and landscape sustainability are compromised, promoting loss of services and reduced attractiveness of rural areas compared to urban spaces.

-Are the measures implemented against population migration in Andalusia or Spain effective?

– It is too early to measure the results of public policies as they are being implemented now and demographic dynamics are evolving slowly or over the long term. Mention can be made of the national initiatives of the Ministry of Environmental Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) in the field of renewable energies, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, circular economy, biodiversity and combating population migration. The Council has designed an instrument to ensure public services and the economic and social cohesion of rural areas and to contribute to the population composition of the rural world. For its part, the provincial council cooperates with municipalities through financial contributions, assistance and advice.

– What kind of policies or strategies do you think could reverse this trend?

-Initiatives that attempt to reverse or in any case mitigate population displacement, without neglecting the present, must be taken into account for the future. The fight against depopulation in the province of Córdoba must start from a structure based on regional capitals and viable cities, on an economic foundation supported by rural spaces, nature and the opportunities for diversification offered by the strategic situation of the province. To provide greater coherence to policies operating in the territory, we must not forget the landscape as a factor of quality of life, in line with the European Landscape Convention (CEP) and as an essential element of cultural identity, as an essential element of intervention in the management of the territory and especially for its contribution to the preservation of heritage values.

-Are you optimistic about the demographic future of Cordoba or do you think the decline will continue?

-Although population displacement tends to generate spirals that feed on each other and complicate the future of regions, and despite the seriousness of the current situation and demographic projections, there is hope that the province of Córdoba will continue to accumulate important resources and great potential to lead sustainable economic and life models. Reversing the current demographic dynamics and breaking the vicious cycle of population migration will be one of the priority issues for public servants and society as a whole, who must act transversally, because the province’s sustainability and territorial cohesion are at stake.