Catalans living abroad increases 6.4% in 2017

The number of Catalans living abroad increased by 6.4% during 2017, totalling at 302,525 people on the first day of 2018, according to the latest figures.

The increase of people leaving the country was seen throughout nearly all counties. The county with the most notable increase of people moving abroad was Osona, north of Barcelona, which saw a rise of 12.9%

The majority of Catalans residing abroad are distributed practically equally between the American and European continents (47.9% and 47.4% respectively.)

Exodus

Between, 2009 (when the financial crisis struck) to 2014, the number of young Catalans abroad increased by 55%, according to the youth section of trade union UGT.

People aged between 15 and 34 mostly left the country due to financial instability, in order to search for work elsewhere, according to the organization.