Ranked list of Spanish autonomous communities by population (1 January 2012)

Methodology and scope

The ranking follows official statistical practice: counts refer to usual resident population (people who habitually live in a territory) and are compiled by the national statistics authority. The list treats the two autonomous cities separately from the autonomous communities: they are included at the end of the order. For background on Spain's subnational units, see autonomous communities and the section on autonomous cities.

Ranked list (most to least populous)

1. Andalusia
2. Catalonia
3. Community of Madrid
4. Valencian Community
5. Galicia
6. Canary Islands
7. Castile and León
8. Basque Country
9. Castilla–La Mancha
10. Region of Murcia
11. Balearic Islands
12. Principality of Asturias
13. Aragon
14. Extremadura
15. Navarre
16. Cantabria
17. La Rioja
18. Ceuta (autonomous city)
19. Melilla (autonomous city)

Uses and significance

Population rankings are used in planning public services, allocating representation, distributing funds and evaluating regional development. Large populations concentrate economic activity, transport needs and policy attention; smaller territories may face different challenges such as aging populations or service delivery across rural areas.

Notable facts and cautions

Rankings change over time because of migration, births and administrative revisions. The order above reflects a specific census snapshot; later estimates may shift positions. For authoritative datasets and recent updates consult the national statistics office or the relevant regional statistical bodies via the links above.