Spain’s birth rate has continued its modest recovery, with 156,887 babies born during the first six months of 2026.
The improvement follows a small rise in births during 2025 and provides another indication that the long-running decline may be beginning to ease.
However, Spain remains a long way from the birth figures recorded a decade ago. There were 43,368 fewer births between January and June this year than during the same six months of 2016.
The figures also reveal another striking demographic change: in June, more babies were born to mothers aged over 40 than to women under 25.
Spain records 156,887 births in six months
Between January and June 2026, Spain recorded an estimated 156,887 births, compared with 155,231 during the same period in 2025.
June itself also recorded a small year-on-year increase.
A total of 26,291 babies were born during the month, 225 more than the 26,066 births recorded in June 2025.
The latest figures remain provisional.
INE produces its Monthly Birth Estimate using registrations from computerised civil registries, allowing it to provide more up-to-date information before definitive birth statistics become available.
Births rise in the Valencian Community and Murcia
The national increase does not mean births are rising everywhere in Spain.
Births increased during the first six months of the year in Andalucía, Asturias, Castilla y León, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Madrid, Murcia and La Rioja.
They fell in the Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia and the Basque Country, as well as Ceuta and Melilla.
The information available does not provide sufficient certainty to place Aragón and Navarra in either group.
Neighbouring Murcia recorded one of the more notable increases.
There were 6,201 births in the Region of Murcia between January and June, 4.36% more than during the same period last year.
Of the 1,006 babies born in Murcia during June, 513 were boys and 493 were girls.
More babies born to mothers over 40 than under 25
Spain’s latest figures also illustrate how the age of motherhood continues to change.
During June, 2,758 babies were born to mothers aged over 40.
That was more than the 2,506 babies born to women under the age of 25.
Women aged between 30 and 34 accounted for the largest number of births during the month, with 8,643.
Another 7,754 babies were born to mothers aged between 35 and 39.
The figures provide a further indication of the continuing shift towards women having children later in life.
Spain still records far fewer births than a decade ago
The latest increase looks considerably smaller when viewed against Spain’s longer-term demographic decline.
During the first six months of 2016, Spain recorded 200,255 births.
This year’s figure of 156,887 is 43,368 lower, representing a fall of more than 20% in a decade.
Some parts of the country continue to experience particularly sharp declines.
All four provinces in Galicia recorded fewer births during the first half of 2026 than a year earlier.
A Coruña recorded 2,799, down 3.95%, while Pontevedra recorded 2,159, a fall of 3.92%.
Lugo recorded 787 births, down 0.25%, while Ourense had 608, a decrease of 5.74%.
The longer-term decline in Ourense is particularly marked. The province recorded 907 births during the first six months of 2013, compared with 608 this year, a fall of almost one third.
Births began rising again in 2025
The latest figures continue the modest change in direction seen last year.
Spain recorded 321,164 births during 2025, 0.99% more than in 2024.
The previous year had recorded 318,005 births, the lowest figure in the series.
INE’s latest population projections anticipate a slight increase in births beginning in 2026 and continuing until 2042.
That does not mean Spain is expected to return quickly to previous birth levels.
INE estimates that around 5.3 million children will be born between 2026 and 2040, approximately 6.2% fewer than during the preceding 15-year period.
For now, the latest figures point to a modest recovery rather than a reversal of Spain’s longer-term demographic trend.
Bridging the Gap recap
- Spain recorded an estimated 156,887 births between January and June 2026.
- That is 1,656 more than during the same period in 2025, an increase of 1.07%.
- June recorded 26,291 births, compared with 26,066 in June last year.
- Births increased in the Valencian Community and neighbouring Murcia during the first half of 2026.
- Murcia recorded 6,201 births, 4.36% more than during the same period last year.
- In June, more babies were born to mothers over 40 than to women under 25.
- Spain recorded 43,368 fewer births in the first six months of 2026 than during the same period in 2016.
- Births also increased slightly during 2025 after reaching a series low in 2024.
- The latest figures are estimates and will be updated as definitive birth statistics become available.
