Chapter 255: Birth Rate

As time moved to 1880, Spain’s busyness was not limited to just the two major cities of Madrid and Barcelona. As the region with the largest population in Spain, the Andalusian region had a birth rate exceeding 5% for two consecutive years, topping the charts for both newborn population and birth rate among all Spanish regions.

The population of Andalusia exceeded 5 million, nearly 700,000 more than the second-ranked Castile-Leon region.

Under such a high birth rate of 5%, Andalusia had 170,000 births in 1879, with total births far exceeding those of Leon and Catalonia, which ranked second and third in population.

However, Andalusia’s mortality rate was also as high as 5%, so while it gained 170,000 newborns, it also lost over 80,000 people last year.

Among Spain’s 16 regions, Andalusia’s population reached 5 million, far ahead of the others.

The second-ranked Castile-Leon region had about 8 million people, followed closely by the Catalonia region with about 63 million.

After the Barcelona Industrial Base was completed, Catalonia achieved extremely rapid development, with its population surging from just over 8 million to more than 6 million; the vast majority of the 800,000 increase were workers in the industrial zone and their family members, with only a small number being immigrants other than workers.

At Catalonia’s current development speed, surpassing Castile-Leon in population is just a matter of time, and it might even happen within the next one or two years.

The fourth-ranked region in population is the Galicia region, with about 92 million people as of early The Valencian Community ranks fifth, with about 74 million people.

Further down is the La Mancha region south of Madrid, with just over 5 million people. Aside from these six regions, no other regions in Spain have reached the million mark, and many have only 100,000 to 200,000 people.

The Extremadura region and Aragon region both hover just over 900,000, making them the two regions in Spain outside Madrid most likely to break the million mark.

Madrid’s population has already exceeded 650,000, with a birth rate as high as 3%, and annual newborn numbers exceeding 27,（ Already deducting deaths）

Adding in some immigrants, Madrid’s annual population increase is around 30,000 to 40,000 people.

At this growth rate, the Madrid region will still need at least 10 years to break the million mark.

But reality won’t be calculated this way. As Madrid becomes famous across Europe as the Nightless City, more and more European immigrants will come to Madrid for tourism and settlement.

Plus the birth population growth brought by Madrid’s population increase, Madrid might break the million mark within the next 5 to 8 years.

Below Madrid, the Asturias, Basque region, and Murcia region all have populations around 600,

Originally, the Basque region did not have this many people, but the Spanish Government transferred some population from other regions and immigrants to the Basque Country, successfully diluting the proportion of Basque people and boosting the Basque region’s population.

Below these three regions with over 600,000 people, the Canary Islands, located outside the mainland, surprisingly have nearly 400,000 people.

The Canary Islands have a special location, serving as a transit station for material transportation between Spain and the African colonies. Because of this, the Canary Islands’ population has seen relatively rapid growth in recent years, and the island’s economy is quite prosperous.

The Canary Islands at least have nearly 400,000 people, while Navarre, Cantabria, and Balearic Islands have only about 300,000 each; combined, these three regions still haven’t broken the million mark, proving how pitifully small their populations are.

Of course, these three are not the smallest regions in Spain. The La Rioja region is the smallest on the Spanish Mainland, with just over 150,000 people across the entire region; most of the region is uninhabited wasteland, and it has basically been abandoned for development by the Spanish Government.

The combined population of these regions exceeds 8 million, accounting for the vast majority of Spain’s population. Another about 200,000 people are distributed across Spain’s various colonies, the vast majority of whom are colonial populations that have just obtained Spanish nationality and haven’t yet migrated to the Spanish Mainland.

Notably, when calculating Spain’s population, over 600,000 Cubans are not included. The vast majority of these Cubans have no fondness for Spain, so the Spanish Government naturally doesn’t count them in population figures.

Of course, since they are not Spanish citizens, they naturally don’t enjoy any related welfare benefits and policies.

Carlo even decided to abandon the Cuban Colony within the next few years, using the funds obtained entirely for development of the African colonies.

And if possible, Carlo would prefer to sell the Cuban Colony to the British, in exchange for the opportunity for Spain to fully colonize Morocco.

Among all of Spain’s current colonies, investment in Morocco is the most valuable. Because Morocco is a colony that can be localized, investment here will never lose money, as this land will forever be in Spain’s hands.

As of early 1880, Spain’s population has officially broken through 20 million. Breaking through 20 million is very important for Spain, representing a major step toward becoming a European power.

European countries with populations under 10 million can never be considered great powers. And those under 20 million can never be considered powers.

With a population breaking through 20 million, Spain has truly secured its seat among the great powers, and has hope of advancing further in the rankings, expanding its international influence and status.

Throughout 1879, the birth rate across Spanish regions was only about 2%, leaving significant room for improvement.

Even if it doesn’t reach the somewhat exaggerated 5% of the Andalusian region, it can easily rise above 3%, substantially increasing the scale of Spain’s population growth.

A population over 20 million with a 3% birth rate means welcoming over 600,000 children annually. Even if some of these children die young, and subtracting deaths, Spain’s annual net population growth can still hope to stay at 200,000 to 300,

Plus the scale of incoming immigrants, Spain’s annual population growth can hope to stay at 350,000 to 400,000, which is quite exaggerated.

More importantly, among the current over 20 million Spanish citizens, Spaniards still make up the majority, with a staggering total proportion of 5%, and the dominant ethnic group numbering 18 million.

The exaggerated proportion of Spaniards is actually quite normal. This era is precisely when national consciousness is forming; due to the Spanish Government’s intervention, aside from Catalans and Basque people having clearer self-awareness, most of the Spanish population sees themselves as pure Spaniards and doesn’t consider themselves a Spanish minority ethnic group.

And after clearing out a large portion of radical elements in Catalonia, a considerable number of Catalans also consider themselves Spaniards; they just live in Catalonia, which doesn’t mean they have Catalan bloodline.

The population that truly doesn’t see themselves as Spaniards is only about 2 million, among whom Catalans, Basque people, and Galicians are the most numerous.

Aside from the special case of the Basque people, both Catalans and Galicians have hope of being fully assimilated by Spain.

And after fully assimilating Catalans and Galicians, whether the Basque people can be fully assimilated won’t matter.

After all, the Basque people in those two regions combined are only a few hundred thousand; if they don’t accept Spanish rule, they can simply all be expelled from Spain.

Though the Basque people are fierce warriors, their small population greatly limits their threat. For Spain at this time, the initiative is fully in its own hands.

Especially after the population exceeds 20 million, Spain has enough capital to take action against the Basque people. Even if all Basque people are driven from Spanish land, it won’t reduce Spain’s population much or greatly impact national development.

Spain’s birth rate doesn’t stand out in Europe and can’t even rank in the top tier.

Russia, as Europe’s most populous country, also has a quite exaggerated birth rate. Russia’s birth rate is generally over 5%, meaning over 5 million newborns annually.

Of course, as one of the great powers with the worst basic conditions, Russia’s mortality rate is also persistently high.

Russia’s mortality rate hovers around 5% to 4%, meaning annual deaths are also over 3 million to nearly 4 million.

Birth rate minus mortality rate, Russia’s current annual population increase is only just over 1 million. Of course, this number is also steadily rising.

After all, Tsar Alexander II’s abolition of serfdom has had an effect, though not great; at least Russian farmers can catch their breath because of it.

Looking across Europe, birth rates actually show lower rates in Central Europe and Western Europe, and higher rates in Southern Europe and Eastern Europe.

France, with its relatively prosperous economy, has a birth rate staying below 3%, rarely breaking 3%. Though its mortality rate is only about 2%, this still means France’s net population growth stays at a relatively slow level.

European countries generally have birth rates over 2%, mainly because medical technology in this era is so poor that without having children desperately, national extinction isn’t an exaggeration.

Don’t think having many children means much; European countries also have many deaths annually. Plus a large portion of newborns die young, so despite relatively high birth rates, European countries’ population growth speed isn’t actually high.

Russia, with over 100 million people, grows by only just over 1 million annually, let alone European powers with only 20-30 million, whose annual net growth is only 200,000-300,000, completely out of proportion to posterity’s growth rates.

Posterity’s countries have lower birth rates, but mortality rates and newborn mortality rates are also very low.

Perhaps only after medical technology greatly improves, substantially reducing deaths and newborn mortality, can Europe welcome a new round of population explosion.

Before that, European countries’ populations won’t see major growth changes. After all, many people in European countries choose to emigrate abroad, and population outflow is also a problem they need to consider.

It’s just that Spain achieved relatively rapid development from 1869 to 1880 over these 11 years, indirectly reducing Spanish emigration abroad.

After all, if they can live on in their hometowns, the vast majority don’t want to leave home for a completely new life on unfamiliar land.

Notably, in late 1879, Carlo also welcomed his third child, second son Martin.

After Princess Sofia’s birth, Carlo decided to let Queen Sophie rest for a while before considering having more children.

While branching out the royal family is important, ensuring Queen Sophie’s health is equally important. With this era’s medical technology being what it is, all Carlo can do is try to ensure Queen Sophie’s health so she doesn’t encounter accidents during childbirth.

After two years of careful recuperation, Carlo and Queen Sophie resumed trying for children.

Prince Martin was born a year later; as Carlo’s second son, Prince Martin received the title of Duke of Alcóntara at birth, starting at the pinnacle for most Spanish nobles.

Little Martin’s birth excited Prince Juan Fernando and Princess Sofia endlessly; the two dote greatly on their little brother.

The two little ones stick by little Martin whenever free, and Queen Sophie often looks at Carlo with relief at the scene of her children with deep brotherly bonds.

As Carlo’s eldest son, Prince Juan Fernando is already 5 years old this year.

The elite noble education specially tailored for him by Carlo will also begin this year; as Spain’s heir to the throne, Prince Juan Fernando must be a quite excellent crown prince, and Carlo is full of expectations for him.

Compared to her brother, Princess Sofia has it much easier. First, she’s still too young; born in November 1876, Sofia is actually only three and a half years old.

At this age, she naturally doesn’t need overly strict education; aside from learning some Spanish language words and etiquette early, Princess Sofia still has plenty of free time.

After Prince Martin’s birth, Carlo and Queen Sophie have also fulfilled Spain’s childbearing encouragement policy, setting an example for the Spanish people.

Under Carlo’s lead, Spaniards are quite willing to have children. But Spain’s birth rate still shows higher in rural areas and lower in cities, which is something the Spanish Government needs to address and improve.

The reason birth rates are higher in rural areas and lower in cities is actually easy to understand.

Against the backdrop of continuously rising average annual income in Spain, Spaniards don’t reject having children; some couples even enjoy it, since having more means the state bears part of the expenditure.

The main reason is that rural populations have more disposable time compared to urban ones. A considerable portion of urban populations are workers, whose working hours are generally over ten hours.

Plus, most current worker jobs are tiring physical labor, leaving them with little energy for children after over ten hours of work.

Though workers get one day off per month, who would use this precious holiday for having children? Aside from resting, most people’s choice is to head to the city to experience a completely different life, along the way checking out new shops and more prosperous streets.

Precisely because of this, the Spanish Government decided to target childbearing encouragement policy propaganda at worker groups and urban populations.

As long as these people can be motivated to actively bear descendants, Spain’s birth rate will naturally rise further, and population growth speed can climb steadily.

Of course, propaganda policy is propaganda policy; appropriate subsidies and welfare incentives are also very necessary.

Carlo also reviewed the report submitted by the Andalusian region; its two consecutive years of 5% birth rate aren’t without reason.

As Spain’s most populous region, the Andalusian region’s financial situation is also quite good. The regional government formulated welfare and benefits policies to encourage population childbearing, including but not limited to:

Parents with excess children qualify for unemployment relief fund from the government after unemployment; for each extra child, the relief fund proportion increases by 15%, up to 60%.

If both spouses are unemployed, the proportion rises to 30%, with a cap of 150%.

In addition, parents with excess children enjoy certain tax reduction and rent reduction policies. The Andalusian region provides people with relatively cheap rent housing; couples with excess children can get further rent reductions on top of the low rent to cut their expenditure.

Of course, such discounts also exist when purchasing housing. For each child born, enjoy 15% discount on housing purchase, up to 60%.

This means families with four or more children can buy city center housing in the Andalusian region at below cost price.

Though Andalusia lacks overly large cities, housing cheaper than cost price has extremely high attractiveness.

Plus a series of other subsidies, though each isn’t much, they add up to a considerable amount.

Under such policies and welfare benefits, the rise in Andalusia’s birth rate is entirely natural.

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