Moroccans, largest foreign community in Spain

The number of Moroccans living in Spain rose 5.4% to 812,412 making up the largest community living in the country, Spanish statistical office said.

Moroccan diaspora was the largest diaspora surpassing the 669,434 Romanian citizens, 249,015 Brits and 227,912 Italians.

The Spanish population rose to 47 million people, 284,000 more than last year, an increase that the office largely ascribed to migration flow.

Before 1985, Moroccans did not require visas to enter Spain. Many young people came for seasonal or short-term work in agriculture and industry, coming and going from Spain without settling there.