Editing Catalonia (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Catalan people}}
{{Largest cities
| country = Catalonia
| kind = municipalities
| stat_ref = [http://idescat.cat ''Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya''] (2020)
| list_by_pop = Municipalities of Catalonia
| div_name = Comarca
| div_link =
| city_1 = Barcelona
| div_1 = Barcelonès
| pop_1 = 1,664,182
| img_1 = 14-08-05-barcelona-RalfR-001.jpg
| city_2 = L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
| div_2 = Barcelonès
| pop_2 = 269,382
| img_2 = Hospitalet de Llobregat - Plaza de Europa, Torres Europa, Torres Porta Fira,Torre Inbisa y Torre Werfen.JPG
| city_3 = Terrassa
| div_3 = Vallès Occidental
| pop_3 = 223,627
| img_3 = Terrassa, Ajuntament, de Lluís Muncunill i altres (a partir de 1900) (14479000031).jpg
| city_4 = Badalona| div_4 = Barcelonès| pop_4 = 223,166| img_4 = Badalona - La Rambla.jpg
| city_5 = Sabadell| div_5 = Vallès Occidental| pop_5 = 216,590
| city_6 = Lleida| div_6 = Segrià| pop_6 = 140,403
| city_7 = Tarragona| div_7 = Tarragonès| pop_7 = 136,496
| city_8 = Mataró| div_8 = Maresme| pop_8 = 129,661
| city_9 = Santa Coloma de Gramenet| div_9 = Barcelonès|pop_9 = 120,443
| city_10 = Reus| div_10 = Baix Camp| pop_10 = 106,168
| city_11 = Girona| div_11 = Gironès| pop_11 = 103,369
| city_12 = Sant Cugat del Vallès| div_12 = Vallès Occidental| pop_12 = 92,977
| city_13 = Cornellà de Llobregat| div_13 = Baix Llobregat| pop_13 = 89,936
| city_14 = Sant Boi de Llobregat| div_14 = Baix Llobregat| pop_14 = 84,500
| city_15 = Rubí, Barcelona| div_15 = Vallès Occidental| pop_15 = 78,591
| city_16 = Manresa|div_16 = Bages| pop_16 = 78,246
| city_17 = Vilanova i la Geltrú| div_17 = Garraf| pop_17 = 67,733
| city_18 = Castelldefels| div_18 = Baix Llobregat| pop_18 = 67,460
| city_19 = Viladecans| div_19 = Baix Llobregat| pop_19 = 67,197
| city_20 = El Prat de Llobregat| div_20 = Baix Llobregat| pop_20 = 65,385

}}
{{Historical populations
|type =
|footnote = Source: [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)|INE]]
|1900| 1966382
|1910| 2084868
|1920| 2344719
|1930| 2791292
|1940| 2890974
|1950| 3240313
|1960| 3925779
|1970| 5122567
|1981| 5949829 <!-- This is correct, not 1980 -->
|1990| 6062273
|2000| 6174547
|2010| 7462044
|2021| 7749896
|2024|8067454}}

As of 2024, the official population of Catalonia was 8,067,454.<ref name="popcat">{{cite web |title=Idescat. Anuari estadístic de Catalunya. Població. Províncies |url=https://www.idescat.cat/novetats/?id=5041&lang=es#:~:text=La%20poblaci%C3%B3n%20de%20Catalu%C3%B1a%20a,del%20a%C3%B1o%2C%20seg%C3%BAn%20datos%20provisionales. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124074828/http://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=245&lang=es=Confirmar |archive-date=24 November 2015 |access-date=16 October 2015 |work=idescat.cat}}</ref> 1,194,947{{nbsp}}residents did not have Spanish citizenship, accounting for about 16% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=272&lang=es|title=Extranjeros con certificado de registro o tarjeta de residencia en vigor. Por país de nacionalidad.|publisher=idescat.cat|access-date=26 March 2019|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090932/https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=272&lang=es|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Urban Region of Barcelona]] includes 5,217,864{{nbsp}}people and covers an area of {{convert|2268|km2|abbr=on}}. The metropolitan area of the Urban Region includes cities such as [[L'Hospitalet de Llobregat]], [[Sabadell]], [[Terrassa]], [[Badalona]], [[Santa Coloma de Gramenet]] and [[Cornellà de Llobregat]].

In 1900, the population of Catalonia was 1,966,382{{nbsp}}people and in 1970 it was 5,122,567.<ref name="popcat" /> The sizeable increase of the population was due to the demographic boom in Spain during the 1960s and early 1970s<ref>[[Catherine Wihtol de Wenden|Wihtol de Wenden, Catherine]]. ''Atlas des migrations dans le monde, Réfugiés ou migrants volontaires, Alternatives Economiques'', éd. Autrement, Paris, 2009.</ref> as well as in consequence of large-scale internal migration from the rural economically weak regions to its more prospering industrial cities. In Catalonia, that wave of internal migration arrived from several regions of Spain, especially from [[Andalusia]], [[Region of Murcia|Murcia]]<ref name="REUTCATPOP">[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-catalonia-immigration-idUSKBN19711U "Catalans woo immigrants in quest to split from Spain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617195614/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-catalonia-immigration-idUSKBN19711U|date=17 June 2017}} Reuters, 16 June 2017</ref> and [[Extremadura]].<ref>Climent-Ferrando, Vicent. "Immigration in Catalonia: In Search of a Public Philosophy". ''Project ALIAS—Autonomy, Labour and Integration in South Tyrol (Bozen: European Academy of Bolzen/Bolzano)'' (2012).</ref> As of 1999, it was estimated that over 60% of Catalans descended from 20th{{nbsp}}century migrations from other parts of Spain.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Costa Pau|first=Marta|date=1 October 1999|title=Más del 60% de la población de Cataluña es fruto de los flujos inmigratorios de este siglo|language=es|work=El País|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1999/10/02/catalunya/938826452_850215.html|access-date=22 November 2021|issn=1134-6582|archive-date=21 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221112337/https://elpais.com/diario/1999/10/02/catalunya/938826452_850215.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Immigrants from other countries settled in Catalonia since the 1990s;<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jeram|first=Sanjay|date=2017|title=Despite the crisis: The resilience of intercultural nationalism in Catalonia|doi=10.1111/imig.12323|journal=International Migration|volume=55|issue=2|pages=53–67|s2cid=151628467}}</ref> a large percentage comes from [[Africa]], [[Latin America]] and [[Eastern Europe]], and smaller numbers from [[Asia]] and [[Southern Europe]], often settling in urban centers such as Barcelona and industrial areas.<ref>Kleiner-Liebau, D. "Migration and the Construction of National Identity in Spain (Frankfurt: Vervuert)". (2009).</ref> In 2017, Catalonia had 940,497{{nbsp}}foreign residents (11.9%{{nbsp}}of the total population) with non-Spanish ID cards, without including those who acquired Spanish citizenship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=272&lang=es|title=Idescat. Anuario estadístico de Cataluña. Extranjeros con tarjeta de residencia. Por país de nacionalidad. Provincias|website=www.idescat.cat|access-date=26 March 2019|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090932/https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=272&lang=es|url-status=live}}</ref>
{|class="table collapsible collapsed" style="float:left;"
|+'''Foreign{{spaces}}population{{spaces}}by{{spaces}}country{{spaces}}of{{spaces}}citizenship'''{{spaces}}(2018)<ref name=ineextranjeros>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ine.es/jaxi/Tabla.htm?path=/t20/e245/p08/l0/&file=02005.px&L=0|publisher=[[Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)|Instituto Nacional de Estadística]]|access-date=5 April 2019|title=Población extranjera por Nacionalidad, comunidades, Sexo y Año.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426032350/http://www.ine.es/jaxi/Tabla.htm?path=%2Ft20%2Fe245%2Fp08%2Fl0%2F&file=02005.px&L=0|archive-date=26 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! Nationality|| Population
|-
|{{flagu|Romania}}|| align="right"| 119,177
|-
|{{flagu|Morocco}}|| align="right"| 111,192
|-
|{{flagu|China}}|| align = "right"| 59,380
|-
|{{flagu|Italy}}|| align = "right"| 55,823
|-
|{{flagu|Pakistan}}|| align = "right"| 45,125
|-
|{{flagu|Honduras}}|| align = "right"| 33,728
|-
|{{flagu|France}}|| align = "right"| 33,184
|-
|{{flagu|Bolivia}}|| align = "right"| 30,095
|-
|{{flagu|Colombia}}|| align = "right"| 29,853
|-
|{{flagu|Ecuador}}|| align = "right"| 25,749
|-
|{{flagu|Russia}}|| align = "right"| 24,224
|-
|{{flagu|India}}|| align = "right"| 23,103
|-
|{{flagu|Ukraine}}|| align = "right"| 22,305
|-
|{{flagu|Senegal}}|| align = "right"| 20,828
|-
|{{flagu|Peru}}|| align = "right"| 20,127
|-
|{{flagu|United Kingdom}}|| align = "right"| 19,445
|-
|{{flagu|Argentina}}|| align = "right"| 19,192
|-
|{{flagu|Brazil}}|| align = "right"| 18,917
|-
|{{flagu|Dominican Republic}}|| align = "right"| 18,620
|-
|{{flagu|Germany}}|| align = "right"| 18,002
|-
|{{flagu|Venezuela}}|| align = "right"| 16,933
|-
|{{flagu|Gambia}}|| align = "right"| 14,209
|-
|{{flagu|Paraguay}}|| align = "right"| 13,847
|-
|{{flagu|Portugal}}|| align = "right"| 12,491
|-
|{{flagu|Bulgaria}}|| align = "right"| 11,288
|-
|{{flagu|Algeria}}|| align = "right"| 11,273
|-
|{{flagu|Philippines}}|| align = "right"| 11,061
|-
|}
{{clear}}

{| class="wikitable"
|'''Foreign Population by Nationality'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Población extranjera por Nacionalidad, comunidades, Sexo y Año.|url=https://www.ine.es/jaxi/Datos.htm?path=/t20/e245/p08/l0/&file=02005.px|access-date=2023-07-14|website=INE|language=es-ES|archive-date=21 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221082714/https://www.ine.es/jaxi/Datos.htm?path=%2Ft20%2Fe245%2Fp08%2Fl0%2F&file=02005.px|url-status=live}}</ref>
|Number
|%
|-
|2022
|
|
|-
|'''TOTAL FOREIGNERS'''
|'''1,271,810'''
|
|-
|
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|-
|EUROPE
|401,605
|
|-
|EUROPEAN UNION
|295,896
|
|-
|OTHER EUROPE
|105,709
|
|-
|AFRICA
|324,260
|
|-
|SOUTH AMERICA
|247,821
|
|-
|CENTRAL AMERICA
|368,461
|
|-
|NORTH AMERICA
|18,332
|
|-
|ASIA
|184,846
|
|-
|OCEANIA
|1,015
|
|-
|Instituto Nacional de Estadística
|
|
|-
|
|
|}

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Catalonia}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Catalonia (2020):<ref name="Barometer2020"/>
|label1 = [[Roman Catholicism]]
|value1 = 53.0
|color1 = DarkOrchid
|label2 = [[Protestantism]]
|value2 = 7.0
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|label3 = [[Eastern Orthodoxy]]
|value3 = 1.3
|color3 = Orchid
|label4 = [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]
|value4 = 1.0
|color4 = Turquoise
|label5 = [[Atheism]]
|value5 = 18.6
|color5 = DarkGrey
|label6 = [[Agnosticism]]
|value6 = 8.8
|color6 = Honeydew
|label7 = [[Islam]]
|value7 = 4.3
|color7 = Green
|label8 = Other Religions
|value8 = 3.4
|color8 = Red
|label9 = No answer/do not know
|value9 = 2.6
|color9 = Black
}}
Historically, all the Catalan population was [[Christianity|Christian]], specifically [[Catholic Church in Spain|Catholic]], but since the 1980s there has been a trend of decline of Christianity. Nevertheless, according to the most recent study sponsored by the [[Generalitat de Catalunya|Government of Catalonia]], as of 2020, 62.3% of the Catalans identify as Christians (up from 61.9% in 2016<ref name="Barometer2016">{{cite web|url=http://premsa.gencat.cat/pres_fsvp/docs/2017/07/03/10/56/eee690bf-45d9-4db2-b84f-2c31bfab72ff.pdf|title=Baròmetre sobre la religiositat i sobre la gestió de la seva diversitat 2016 |date=2016|publisher=Institut Opiniòmetre, Generalitat de Catalunya|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020120353/http://premsa.gencat.cat/pres_fsvp/docs/2017/07/03/10/56/eee690bf-45d9-4db2-b84f-2c31bfab72ff.pdf|archive-date=20 October 2018}} p. 30. [http://es.opinometre.com/2016/11/03/barometre-religiositat-2016/ Quick data from the 2016 barometer of Catalonia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020182104/http://es.opinometre.com/2016/11/03/barometre-religiositat-2016/|date=20 October 2018}}.</ref> and 56.5% in 2014<ref name="Barometer20142">{{cite web|url=http://governacio.gencat.cat/web/.content/afers_religiosos/documents/Mapa_2014/Barometre2014_resultats.pdf|title=Baròmetre sobre la religiositat i sobre la gestió de la seva diversitat|date=2014|publisher=Institut Opiniòmetre, Generalitat de Catalunya|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926184822/http://governacio.gencat.cat/web/.content/afers_religiosos/documents/Mapa_2014/Barometre2014_resultats.pdf|archive-date=26 September 2017}} p. 30. [http://web.gencat.cat/es/actualitat/detall/Barometre-sobre-la-religiositat-i-Mapa-religios-de-Catalunya Quick data from the 2014 barometer of Catalonia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927155818/http://web.gencat.cat/es/actualitat/detall/Barometre-sobre-la-religiositat-i-Mapa-religios-de-Catalunya|date=27 September 2017}}</ref>) of whom 53.0%{{nbsp}}Catholics, 7.0%{{nbsp}}[[Protestantism|Protestants]] and [[Evangelicalism|Evangelicals]], 1.3%{{nbsp}}[[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox Christian]]s and 1.0%{{nbsp}}[[Jehovah's Witnesses]]. At the same time, 18.6% of the population identify as [[Atheism|atheists]], 8.8%{{nbsp}}as [[Agnosticism|agnostics]], 4.3%{{nbsp}}as [[Muslims]], and a further 3.4% as being of other religions.<ref name="Barometer2020">{{Cite web|url=http://justicia.gencat.cat/web/.content/afers-religiosos/05_estudis/barometre/Informe-de-resultats.pdf|title=Baròmetre sobre la religiositat i sobre la gestió de la seva diversitat 2020 |publisher=Institut Opiniòmetre, Generalitat de Catalunya|language=ca|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=19 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519141322/http://justicia.gencat.cat/web/.content/afers-religiosos/05_estudis/barometre/Informe-de-resultats.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Languages ===
{{Main|Languages of Catalonia}}
{{See also|Catalan language|Spanish language|Aranese dialect|Catalan Sign Language}}
{| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" rules="all" style="width:400px; float:right; margin:1em; background:#fff; border:2px solid #aaa; font-size:100%;"
|- style="background:#ddd;"
! colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|'''First habitual language, 2018 Demographic Survey'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idescat.cat/indicadors/?id=anuals&n=10364|title=Idescat. Demographic Survey. Població de 15 anys i més segons llengua inicial, d'identificació i habitual. Catalunya|website=www.idescat.cat|language=en|access-date=2021-02-21|archive-date=6 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240406183820/http://www.idescat.cat/indicadors/?id=anuals&n=10364|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="2"|'''Language'''
|'''Identification language'''
|'''Habitual language'''
|-
| colspan="2"|[[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|2 978 000 (46.6%)
|3 104 000 (48.6%)
|-
| colspan="2"|[[Catalan language|Catalan]]
|2 320 000 (36.3%)
|2 305 000 (36.1%)
|-
| colspan="2"|Both languages
|440 000 (6.9%)
|474 000 (7.4%)
|-
| colspan="2"|Other languages
|651 000 (10.2%)
|504 000 (7.9%)
|-
|
|Arabic
|114 000 (1.8%)
|61 000 (0.9%)
|-
|
|Romanian
|58 000 (0.9%)
|24 000 (0.4%)
|-
|
|English
|29 000 (0.5%)
|26 000 (0.4%)
|-
|
|French
|26 000 (0.4%)
|16 000 (0.2%)
|-
|
|Berber
|25 000 (0.4%)
|20 000 (0.3%)
|-
|
|Chinese
|20 000 (0.3%)
|18 000 (0.3%)
|-
|
|Other languages
|281 000 (4.4%)
|153 000 (2.4%)
|-
|
|Other combinations
|96 000 (1.5%)
|193 000 (3.0%)
|-
| colspan="2"|Total population 15 year old and over
|6 386 000 (100.0%)
|6 386 000 (100.0%)
|}
[[File:Paisos catalans.svg|thumb|[[Catalan language|Catalan]]-speaking regions of Europe]]
According to the linguistic census held by the Government of Catalonia in 2013, Spanish is the most spoken language in Catalonia (46.53%{{nbsp}}claim Spanish as "their own language"), followed by [[Catalan language|Catalan]] (37.26%{{nbsp}}claim Catalan as "their own language"). In everyday use, 11.95%{{nbsp}}of the population claim to use both languages equally, whereas 45.92%{{nbsp}}mainly use Spanish and 35.54%{{nbsp}}mainly use Catalan. There is a significant difference between the [[Barcelona metropolitan area]] (and, to a lesser extent, the [[Camp de Tarragona|Tarragona area]]), where Spanish is more spoken than Catalan, and the more rural and small town areas, where Catalan clearly prevails over Spanish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idescat.cat/dequavi/?TC=444&V0=15&V1=2|title=Idescat. Dades demogràfiques i de qualitat de vida|publisher=Idescat.cat|access-date=25 April 2010|archive-date=4 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104072959/http://www.idescat.cat/dequavi/?TC=444&V0=15&V1=2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Originating in the historic territory of Catalonia, [[Catalan language|Catalan]] has enjoyed special status since the approval of the [[Statute of Autonomy of 1979]] which declares it to be "Catalonia's own language",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gencat.cat/generalitat/eng/estatut/titol_preliminar.htm#a6|title=Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (Article 6)|publisher=Gencat.cat|access-date=25 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528011550/http://www.gencat.cat/generalitat/eng/estatut/titol_preliminar.htm#a6|archive-date=28 May 2008}}</ref> a term which signifies a language given special legal status within a Spanish territory, or which is historically spoken within a given region. The other languages with official status in Catalonia are Spanish, which has official status throughout Spain, and Aranese Occitan, which is spoken in Val d'Aran.

Since the [[Statute of Autonomy of 1979]], [[Aranese]] (a [[Gascon dialect|Gascon]] dialect of [[Occitan language|Occitan]]) has also been official and subject to special protection in [[Val d'Aran]]. This small area of 7,000{{nbsp}}inhabitants was the only place where a dialect of Occitan had received full official status. Then, on 9{{nbsp}}August{{nbsp}}2006, when the new Statute came into force, Occitan became official throughout Catalonia. Occitan is the mother tongue of 22.4% of the population of Val d'Aran, which has attracted heavy immigration from other Spanish regions to work in the service industry.<ref>[http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Dades_territori_poblacio/Altres/Arxius/EULP2008.pdf Enquesta d'usos lingüístics de la població 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709132415/http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Dades_territori_poblacio/Altres/Arxius/EULP2008.pdf|date=9 July 2011}}, cap. 8. ''La Val d'Aran''.</ref> [[Catalan Sign Language]] is also officially recognised.<ref name="estatut_langs" />

Although not considered an "official language" in the same way as Catalan, Spanish, and Occitan, the [[Catalan Sign Language]], with about 18,000 users in Catalonia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=csc|title=Catalan Sign Language|publisher=Ethnologue.com|date=19 February 1999|access-date=1 July 2014|archive-date=3 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003051354/http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=csc|url-status=live}}</ref> is granted official recognition and support: "The public authorities shall guarantee the use of Catalan sign language and conditions of equality for deaf people who choose to use this language, which shall be the subject of education, protection and respect."<ref name="estatut_langs"/>

As was the case since the ascent of the Bourbon dynasty to the throne of Spain after the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], and with the exception of the short period of the [[Second Spanish Republic]], under [[Francoist Spain]] Catalan was banned from schools and all other official use, so that for example families were not allowed to officially register children with Catalan names.<ref>{{cite book|author=Joan Miralles i Montserrat|author2=Josep Massot i Muntaner|title=Entorn de la histáoria de la llengua|year=2001|publisher=L'Abadia de Montserrat|isbn=978-84-8415-309-2|page=72}}</ref> Although never completely banned, Catalan language publishing was severely restricted during the early 1940s, with only religious texts and small-run self-published texts being released. Some books were published clandestinely or circumvented the restrictions by showing publishing dates prior to 1936.<ref>{{cite book|author=Pelai Pagès i Blanch|title=Franquisme i repressió: la repressió franquista als països catalans 1939–1975 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OWDyyyaL7dMC&pg=PA182|access-date=6 January 2011|year=2004|publisher=Universitat de València|isbn=978-84-370-5924-2|archive-date=8 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408064809/https://books.google.com/books?id=OWDyyyaL7dMC&pg=PA182|url-status=live}}</ref> This policy was changed in 1946, when restricted publishing in Catalan resumed.<ref>{{cite book|author=Pelai Pagès i Blanch|title=Franquisme i repressió: la repressió franquista als països catalans (1939–1975) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OWDyyyaL7dMC&pg=PA182|year=2004|publisher=Universitat de València|isbn=978-84-370-5924-2|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=8 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408064809/https://books.google.com/books?id=OWDyyyaL7dMC&pg=PA182|url-status=live}}</ref>

Rural–urban migration originating in other parts of Spain also reduced the social use of Catalan in urban areas and increased the use of Spanish. Lately, a similar [[sociolinguistic]] phenomenon has occurred with foreign immigration. Catalan cultural activity increased in the 1960s and the teaching of Catalan began thanks to the initiative of associations such as [[Òmnium Cultural]].

After the end of Francoist Spain, the newly established self-governing democratic institutions in Catalonia embarked on a long-term [[language policy]] to recover the use of Catalan<ref>{{cite book|author=Turell, M. Teresa|title=Multilingualism in Spain: Sociolinguistic and Psycholinguistic Aspects of Linguistic Minority Groups|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=li0Fmtfxd6kC&pg=PA64|access-date=25 April 2010|year=2001|publisher=Multilingual Matters|isbn=978-1-85359-491-5|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407161209/https://books.google.com/books?id=li0Fmtfxd6kC&pg=PA64|url-status=live}}</ref> and has, since 1983, enforced laws which attempt to protect and extend the use of Catalan. This policy, known as the "linguistic normalisation" ({{lang|ca|normalització lingüística}} in Catalan, {{lang|es|normalización lingüística}} in Spanish) has been supported by the vast majority of Catalan political parties through the last thirty years. Some groups consider these efforts a way to discourage the use of Spanish,<ref>{{cite web|author=Parra, Belen|url=http://medios.mugak.eu/noticias/noticia/150764|title=Diario El Mundo, Spanish Only|publisher=Medios.mugak.eu|date=5 June 2008|access-date=25 April 2010|archive-date=20 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720165815/http://medios.mugak.eu/noticias/noticia/150764|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elimparcial.es/contenido/19605.html|title=Diario El Imparcial, Spanish Only|publisher=Elimparcial.es|date=26 July 2008|access-date=25 April 2010|archive-date=20 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720031837/http://www.elimparcial.es/contenido/19605.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/ultimahora.php/2006/06/17/llaman_lputo_inmigrante_espanolr_al_padr|title=Diario Periodista Digital, Spanish Only|publisher=Blogs.periodistadigital.com|access-date=25 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717065158/http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/ultimahora.php/2006/06/17/llaman_lputo_inmigrante_espanolr_al_padr|archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/ultimahora.php/2006/02/02/la_justicia_obliga_a_una_escuela_de_bada|title=Diario Periodista Digital, Spanish Only|publisher=Blogs.periodistadigital.com|access-date=25 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717060618/http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/ultimahora.php/2006/02/02/la_justicia_obliga_a_una_escuela_de_bada|archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> whereas some others, including the Catalan government<ref>[http://www.parlament.cat/activitat/dspcp/transcripcions/09_Inter_hora_castella.pdf p. 13: Catalan Deputy of Education Ernest Maragall declares respect from the Catalan Government to Spanish language and to everyone's rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909190343/http://www.parlament.cat/activitat/dspcp/transcripcions/09_Inter_hora_castella.pdf|date=9 September 2008}} (in Calatan)</ref> and the European Union<ref>{{cite web|last1=Spongenberg|first1=Helena|title=Catalan, Basque and Galician get EU language boost|url=https://euobserver.com/political/22007|publisher=[[EUobserver]]|access-date=11 October 2017|language=en|date=4 July 2006|archive-date=12 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012095005/https://euobserver.com/political/22007|url-status=live}}</ref> consider the policies respectful,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcdesevilla.es/hemeroteca/historico-23-11-2006/abc/Nacional/montilla-tiende-la-mano-a-ciu-en-su-investidura-porque-quiere-ser-el-presidente-de-todos_153116223549.html|title=Buscador online de noticias|last=ABCDESEVILA|work=abcdesevilla.es|date=23 November 2006}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> or even as an example which "should be disseminated throughout the Union".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/language/highreport_en.pdf|title=High Level Group on Multilingualism – Final Report: from the Commission of the European Communities in which Catalan immersion is taken as an example which "should be disseminated throughout the Union" (p. 18).|access-date=25 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325180133/http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/language/highreport_en.pdf|archive-date=25 March 2009}}</ref>

[[File:Greuges de Guitard Isarn.jpg|thumb|left|Fragment of the {{lang|ca|Greuges de Guirard Isarn}} ({{circa|1080}}–1095), one of the earliest texts written almost completely in Catalan,<ref>{{cite book|last=Veny|first=Joan|title=Homenatge a Arthur Terry|year=1997|publisher=Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat|location=Barcelona|isbn=84-7826-894-4|pages=9–18|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OMaXD1caTiEC&q=greuges+guitard+isarn&pg=PA17|chapter=greuges de Guitard isarn, Senyor de Caboet (1080–1095)|access-date=26 July 2022|archive-date=25 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425121102/https://books.google.com/books?id=OMaXD1caTiEC&q=greuges+guitard+isarn&pg=PA17#v=snippet&q=greuges%20guitard%20isarn&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Moran|first=Josep|title=Estudis d'història de la llengua catalana|year=2004|publisher=Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat|location=Barcelona|isbn=84-8415-672-9|pages=37–38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RXqT88QcKjUC|language=ca|access-date=26 July 2022|archive-date=25 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425121043/https://books.google.com/books?id=RXqT88QcKjUC|url-status=live}}</ref> predating the famous {{lang|ca|[[Homilies d'Organyà]]}} by a century]]

Today, Catalan is the main language of the Catalan autonomous government and the other public institutions that fall under its jurisdiction. Basic public education is given mainly in Catalan, but also there are some hours per week of Spanish medium instruction. Although businesses are required by law to display all information (e.g. menus, posters) at least in Catalan, this not systematically enforced. There is no obligation to display this information in either Occitan or Spanish, although there is no restriction on doing so in these or other languages. The use of fines was introduced in a 1997 linguistic law<ref>{{cite web|url=http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|title=Catalonia's linguistic law|publisher=gencat.cat|access-date=16 August 2017|archive-date=20 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720133246/http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|url-status=live}}</ref> that aims to increase the public use of Catalan and defend the rights of Catalan speakers. On the other hand, the Spanish Constitution does not recognize equal language rights for national minorities since it enshrined Spanish as the only official language of the state, the knowledge of which being compulsory. Numerous laws regarding for instance the labelling of pharmaceutical products, make in effect Spanish the only language of compulsory use.

The law ensures that both Catalan and Spanish – being official languages – can be used by the citizens without prejudice in all public and private activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|title=Second article of Catalonia's linguistic law|publisher=gencat.cat|access-date=16 August 2017|archive-date=20 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720133246/http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|url-status=live}}</ref> The Generalitat uses Catalan in its communications and notifications addressed to the general population, but citizens can also receive information from the Generalitat in Spanish if they so wish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|title=Ninth article of Catalonia's Linguistic Law|publisher=gencat.cat|access-date=16 August 2017|archive-date=20 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720133246/http://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/78000b57-5382-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219|url-status=live}}</ref> Debates in the Catalan Parliament take place almost exclusively in Catalan and the [[TV3 (Catalonia)|Catalan public television]] broadcasts programs mainly in Catalan.

Due to the [[Immigration to Spain|intense immigration]]{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} which Spain in general and Catalonia in particular experienced in the first decade of the 21st century, many foreign languages are spoken in various cultural communities in Catalonia, of which [[Riff language|Rif]]-[[Berber language|Berber]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ub.edu/cusc/revista/lsc/hemeroteca/numero8/articles/comellas.pdf|title=DESCOBRIR LES LLENGÜES DE LA IMMIGRACIÓ|publisher=University of Barcelona|access-date=6 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225024155/http://www.ub.edu/cusc/revista/lsc/hemeroteca/numero8/articles/comellas.pdf|archive-date=25 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Moroccan Arabic]], [[Romanian language|Romanian]]<ref>[http://www.idescat.cat/dequavi/?TC=444&V0=15&V1=2&VA=2008&VOK=Confirmar ''Usos lingüístics. Llengua inicial, d'identificació i habitual''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606142227/http://www.idescat.cat/dequavi/?TC=444&V0=15&V1=2&VA=2008&VOK=Confirmar|date=6 June 2012}}. ''Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya''. Idescat.cat</ref> and [[Urdu]] are the most common ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europapress.es/cultura/noticia-catalunya-arabe-urdu-aparecen-lenguas-habituales-catalunya-creando-peligro-guetos-20090629150020.html|title=Árabe y urdu aparecen entre las lenguas habituales de Catalunya, creando peligro de guetos.|publisher=Europapress.es|date=29 June 2009|access-date=25 April 2010|archive-date=18 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118070643/http://www.europapress.es/cultura/noticia-catalunya-arabe-urdu-aparecen-lenguas-habituales-catalunya-creando-peligro-guetos-20090629150020.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Catalonia, there is a high social and political consensus on the language policies favoring Catalan, also among Spanish speakers and speakers of other languages.<ref name="presencia.cat">{{cite web|url=http://www.presencia.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/5-societat/349929-els-nous-catalanoparlants-a-favor-de-la-immersio-lingueistica.html|title=Presència|publisher=Presencia.cat|date=26 January 2014|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-date=6 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706215518/http://www.presencia.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/5-societat/349929-els-nous-catalanoparlants-a-favor-de-la-immersio-lingueistica.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.asabadell.cat/ca/notices/2010/04/els_nous_catalanoparlants_defensen_la_llengua_catalana_8694.php|title=El Blog de Antonio Sabadell – Blog Personal|website=www.asabadell.cat|access-date=13 September 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706214434/http://www.asabadell.cat/ca/notices/2010/04/els_nous_catalanoparlants_defensen_la_llengua_catalana_8694.php|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.normalitzacio.cat/noticia/index.php?sec=noticia&n=17756|title=normalitzacio.cat|publisher=normalitzacio.cat|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108191848/http://www.normalitzacio.cat/noticia/index.php?sec=noticia&n=17756|archive-date=8 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor=Joan Albert Argenter|title=Debat sobre la normalització lingüística: Ple de l'Institut d'Estudis Catalans (18 d'abril de 1990) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HFGjJKrayXQC&pg=PA24|year=1991|publisher=Institut d'Estudis Catalans|isbn=978-84-7283-168-1|page=24|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=8 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408060707/https://books.google.com/books?id=HFGjJKrayXQC&pg=PA24|url-status=live}}</ref>{{update inline|date=September 2019}} However, some of these policies have been criticised for trying to promote Catalan by imposing fines on businesses. For example, following the passage of the law on Catalan cinema in March 2010, which established that half of the movies shown in Catalan cinemas had to be in Catalan, a general strike of 75% of the cinemas took place.<ref>{{cite web|author=Louis @|url=http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/article/32923/catalan-cinema-dubbing-protest-law.html|title=Cinema law: rude case to not dub and subtitle all films in Catalan|publisher=Cafebabel.co.uk|date=25 March 2010|access-date=25 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327093159/http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/article/32923/catalan-cinema-dubbing-protest-law.html|archive-date=27 March 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Catalan government gave in and dropped the clause that forced 50% of the movies to be dubbed or subtitled in Catalan before the law came to effect.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4204962/20140723/nova-llei-cinema-elimina-quotes-doblatge-catala.html|title=La nova llei del cinema elimina les quotes de doblatge en català|date=23 July 2014|work=VilaWeb|access-date=10 February 2019|language=ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011620/https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4204962/20140723/nova-llei-cinema-elimina-quotes-doblatge-catala.html|archive-date=12 February 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the other hand, organisations such as [[Plataforma per la Llengua]] reported different violations of the linguistic rights of the Catalan speakers in Catalonia and the other Catalan-speaking territories in Spain, most of them caused by the institutions of the Spanish government in these territories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plataforma-llengua.cat/que-fem/noticies/2252/la-plataforma-per-la-llengua-denuncia-en-un-informe-40-casos-greus-de-discriminacio-linguistica-a-les-administracions-publiques-ocorreguts-els-darrers-anys|title=La Plataforma per la Llengua denuncia en un informe 40 casos greus de discriminació lingüística a les administracions públiques ocorreguts els darrers anys|date=12 June 2013|access-date=12 June 2013|archive-date=15 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015213911/https://www.plataforma-llengua.cat/que-fem/noticies/2252/la-plataforma-per-la-llengua-denuncia-en-un-informe-40-casos-greus-de-discriminacio-linguistica-a-les-administracions-publiques-ocorreguts-els-darrers-anys|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Catalan language policy has been challenged by some political parties in the Catalan Parliament. [[Citizens - Party of the Citizenry|Citizens]], currently the main opposition party, has been one of the most consistent critics of the Catalan language policy within Catalonia. The Catalan branch of the [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] has a more ambiguous position on the issue: on one hand, it demands a bilingual Catalan–Spanish education and a more balanced language policy that would defend Catalan without favoring it over Spanish,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y3yT9t_IDA|title=Alicia Sánchez-Camacho responde en 'Tengo una pregunta para usted'|publisher=YouTube|date=11 November 2010|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-date=10 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310054402/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y3yT9t_IDA&feature=youtu.be|url-status=live}}</ref> whereas on the other hand, a few local PP politicians have supported in their municipalities measures privileging Catalan over Spanish<ref>{{cite web|author=Regió7|url=http://www.regio7.cat/arreu-catalunya-espanya-mon/2010/10/28/ppc-votar-favor-dun-reglament-sobre-catala/110435.html|title=El PPC va votar a favor d'un reglament sobre el català – Regió7. El Diari de la Catalunya Central|date=28 October 2010|publisher=Regio7.cat|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-date=8 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108192201/http://www.regio7.cat/arreu-catalunya-espanya-mon/2010/10/28/ppc-votar-favor-dun-reglament-sobre-catala/110435.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and it has defended some aspects of the official language policies, sometimes against the positions of its colleagues from other parts of Spain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.3cat24.cat/noticia/889146/barcelones/Sanchez-Camacho-rebutja-la-postura-inicial-de-Bauza-de-derogar-la-llei-de-Normalitzacio-Linguistica-a-les-Illes-Balears|title=Sánchez-Camacho rebutja la postura inicial de Bauzá de derogar la llei de Normalització Lingüística a les Illes Balears|date=9 October 2010|publisher=3cat24.cat|access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref>