Evolution

Population evolution has normally gone together with that of the economy, behaving almost in the same way in all the towns of the Comarca (region).

Having a population of 2.660 inhabitants; at the beginning of the 20th century, Arboleas faced a strong emigration process, with people leaving Arboleas to go mainly to South American countries, especially to Argentina.

From the 1.950s there was another emigration process, this time towards some European countries, especially Germany. There were also a lot of people from Almeria, including people from Arboleas, that emigrated to Catalonia in those years too.

Naturally, these migrating movements left Arboleas almost without men; remaining only women, children and old people to take care of the plots to sustain themselves.

There were some changes in the population from 80s. Firstly, it levelled out and later started to grow. The most important changes happened from 1995, and the population has continued growing since then, especially during the last decade.

The causes of this evolution could be the public and private developments as well as the economic prosperity that started in the 90s, when Spain became member of the European Economic Community.