A substantial change has taken place in Spain over the last fifteen years as regards the standard demographic behaviour of the population, reflected in a dramatic reduction in the rates of natural growth which have, for the first time in the last three decades, finally reached similar levels to those in the other European countries. At the beginning of the eighties, the southern European countries had the highest rates of natural growth; ten years on, the picture has completely changed, natural growth rates in these countries are even lower than in the average for the Twelve countries of the European Union.

 Natural increase of the population in Spain and the E.C., 1960-1990
(Annual rates of change per 1,000 inhabitants)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Per thousand

          1960    1965    1970    1975    1980    1985    1990
14  
--------------------------------------------------------------------
12         ssssssssss
---------------------s----------------------------------------------
10                    ssssss
----------------------------ssssssss--------------------------------
8                                   sssss
---------eeeeeeeeee----------------------ss-------------------------
6                  eeeeeeeee               ssssss
----------------------------ee-------------------ss-----------------
4                             ee                   ss
--------------------------------ee-------------------sseee----------
2                                 eeeeeeeee         eee ssssss
-------------------------------------------ee-----ee----------------
0                                            eeeee
--------------------------------------------------------------------
         1960    1965    1970    1975    1980    1985    1990
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        s: SPAIN
        e: EUR-12