Afro-Spaniards

Afro-Spaniards are Spanish people of African descent namely Black or Black of mixed ancestry. The term may include Spaniards of any African background who are considered to be Black or of Black mixed ancestry mainly those of Afro-Caribbean, African American or Afro Latin American descent. The specific number of Afro-Spaniards is unknown due to the fact that the Spanish government does not collect data on ethnicity or racial self-identification.

In 2008, the largest numbers of African immigrants came from Morocco (71,141), Senegal (10,568), Algeria (5,592), Nigeria (4,855), Mali (3,502), Gambia (2,512), Equatorial Guinea (2,213), Ghana (1,922), Guinea (1,729), and Mauritania (1,577).

Ceuta y Melilla are autonomous cities in Spain and not dependent of Andalusian Community. They have been Spaniards cities since centuries before the Moroccan Kingdom was founded.

Defining Afro-Spaniards
Even though no official census data include racial or ethnic self-identification in Spain, some attempts have been made to quantify the number of Afro-Spaniards. Crossing the data of two official studies, there are at least 1,029,944 Afro-Spaniards, of whom a 47% were born in Spain and a 71% are Spanish nationals.

There are currently 1,301,296 Spanish residents who were born in countries in the African continent, excluding the 1,802,810 born in Ceuta, Melilla, and the Canary Islands, which are Spanish provinces, and, in the case of Ceuta and Melilla, part of Andalusia. They are geographically located in Africa.

Out of these, 294,343 are Spanish citizens and 1,006,953 are foreign residents. The large majority of these originate in Morocco. There are 934,046 Moroccan born residents in Spain of which 223,590 are Spaniards and 710,457 are foreign residents. However, Moroccans being North Africans, they are usually not considered as Afro-Spaniards unless they are Black Moroccans, or have visible physical features usually associated with Black peoples. Non-Moroccan African-born residents in Spain thus number 367,250 of which 70,753 are Spanish citizens and 296,497 are foreign residents.

According to the national statistics agency, in 2019 there were 361,000 residents in Spain whose mother was born in an African country excluding Morocco. Out of these 91,000 were Spanish citizens.

History
African populations have known to exist continuously in what is now Spain since pre-Roman times, with a major influx of Africans occurring during the Islamic period. African admixture – primarily Berber and Arab admixture from North Africa – is dated to the Muslim period of the Middle Age, and averages from 10 to 12% in the south and west to ~3% in the northeast, dropping to close to 0% in a cluster found in the Basque region. Canary Islander Spaniards have significantly higher levels of both North African and Sub-Saharan ancestry, ranging from averages of 14% to 35% and which originates both in the indigenous Guanche people and the subsequent slave trade.

Academics and scientists

 * Antumi Toasije, historian and activist
 * Justo Bolekia Boleka, philologist and writer

Artists and writers

 * Elvira Dyangani, art curator
 * Juan Latino, poet and Renaissance humanist
 * Juan de Pareja, painter of Morisco origin born in Antequera.

Explorers and conquistadores

 * Juan Valiente
 * Juan Garrido
 * Beatriz de Palacios

In entertainment and media
• Bella Agossou, actress

• Emilio Buale, actor

• Concha Buika, singer

• Virginia Buika, singer

• Jimmy Castro, actor

• El Chojin, rapper

• Dareysteel, rapper

• Erika Dos Santos, rapper

• Trisha Fernández, actress

• Hijas del Sol, music duo

• Paloma Loribo, singer and actress

• Desirée Ndjambo, journalist

• Vicenta Ndongo, actress

• Vicente Ndongo, screenwriter

• Nia, singer

• Famous Oberogo, singer

• Athenea Pérez, model

• Berta Vázquez, actress

• Santiago Zannou, filmmaker

Philanthropists

 * Bisila Bokoko

Politicians

 * Rita Bosaho
 * Basha Changue
 * Luc André Diouf
 * Ignacio Garriga
 * Dolores Johnson Sastre

In sports
• Larry Abia, basketball player

• Malcom Adu Ares, footballer

• Seth Airam, footballer

• Carlos Akapo, footballer

• Sergio Akieme, footballer

• Nely Carla Alberto, handball player

• Glory Alozie, athlete

• Kily Álvarez, footballer

• Ruth Álvarez, footballer

• Jair Amador, footballer

• Marvin Anieboh, footballer

• Godwin Antwi, footballer

• Ismael Athuman, footballer

• Álex Balboa, footballer

• Javier Balboa, footballer

• Alberto Baldé, footballer

• Alejandro Baldé, footballer

• Keita Baldé, footballer

• Elhadji Bandeh, footballer

• Moussa Bandeh, footballer

• Sergio Barila, football agent and player

• Ibra Barry, footballer

• Thierno Barry, footballer

• Rubén Belima, footballer

• María Bernabéu, judoka

• Jaël Bestué, athlete

• Alemayehu Bezabeh, athlete

• Junior Bita, footballer

• Vanessa Blé, basketball player

• Rodolfo Bodipo, football manager and player

• Jade Boho, footballer

• Adama Boiro, footballer

• Aauri Bokesa, athlete and basketball player

• Iván Bolado, footballer

• Hugo Buyla, footballer

• Jannick Buyla, footballer

• Alexandrina Cabral, handball player

• Rely Cabral, footballer

• Walter Cabral, basketball player

• Dawda Camara, footballer

• Suleiman Camara, footballer

• Saúl Coco, footballer

• Amilcar Codjovi, footballer

• Milagros Collar, volleyball player

• Alfi Conteh, footballer

• Juan Cuyami, footballer

• Michael Dacosta, footballer

• Agi Dambelley, footballer

• David Davis, handball player

• James Davis, footballer

• Víctor de Baunbag, footballer

• Bambo Diaby, footballer

• Thierno Diallo, artistic gymnast

• Fátima Diame, athlete

• Assane Diao, footballer

• Siren Diao, footballer

• Mamadou Diocou, handball player

• Ilimane Diop, basketball player

• Mamadou Diop, basketball player

• Pape Cheikh Diop, footballer

• Álvaro Djaló, footballer

• Marcelo Djaló, footballer

• Dorian Jr., footballer

• Musa Drammeh, footballer

• Cristian Ebea, footballer

• Tessy Ebosele, athlete

• Alberto Edjogo-Owono, footballer

• Juvenal Edjogo-Owono, football manager and player

• Noé Ela, footballer

• Ruslan Elá, footballer

• Elijah Gift, footballer

• José Elo, footballer

• Aitor Embela, footballer

• Igor Engonga, footballer

• Óscar Engonga, football manager and player

• Vicente Engonga, football manager and player

• Juan Epitié, footballer

• Rubén Epitié, footballer

• Etienne Eto'o, footballer

• Evuy, footballer

• Raúl Fabiani, footballer

• Landry Farré, footballer

• Ansu Fati, footballer

• Paolo Fernandes, footballer

• Francisco Fernández, water polo player

• Pablo Ganet, footballer

• Jastin Garcia, footballer

• Usman Garuba, basketball player

• Kaba Gassama, handball player

• Mamadou Gassama, handball player

• Sekou Gassama, footballer

• Trihas Gebre, athlete

• Madger Gomes, footballer

• Alassan Gutiérrez, footballer

• Jordan Gutiérrez, footballer

• Sergio Hinestrosa, footballer

• Serge Ibaka, basketball player

• Juliet Itoya, athlete

• Iván Cédric, footballer

• Joanet, footballer

• John Patrick, footballer

• Joel Johnson, footballer

• Miguel Jones, footballer

• Venancio José, athlete

• Bacari Kambi, footballer

• José Kanté, footballer

• Fatou Kanteh, footballer

• Niko Kata, footballer

• Kevin Carlos, footballer

• Lamine Yamal, footballer

• Lauren, footballer

• Cindy Lima, basketball player

• Nogaye Lo, basketball player

• Vicky López, footballer

• Gorka Luariz, footballer

• Roberto Mandje, athlete

• Marta Mangué, handball player

• Àngel Mañana, basketball player

• Nuha Marong, footballer

• Marvel, footballer

• Omar Mascarell, footballer

• Eliezer Mayenda, footballer

• Frank Mba, basketball player

• Sebas Mbansogo, basketball player

• Jordi Mboula, footballer

• Carlos Mendes Gomes, footballer

• Claudio Mendes, footballer

• Tomás Mendes, footballer

• Ricky Mendizábal, basketball player

• Luis Meseguer, footballer

• Josete Miranda, footballer

• Cristopher Moisés, footballer

• Ilaix Moriba, footballer

• Cecilia Muhate, basketball player

• Mujaid, footballer

• Almike N'Diaye, footballer

• Eli Ndiaye, basketball player

• Thierry Ndikumwenayo, athlete

• Ruth Ndoumbe, athlete

• Astou Ndour, basketball player

• Óscar Ngomo, basketball player

• Richard Nguema, basketball player

• Eva Ngui, athlete

• Mamor Niang, footballer

• Emilio Nsue, footballer

• John Nwankwo, footballer

• Federico Obama, footballer

• Salomón Obama, footballer

• Esteban Obiang, footballer

• Pedro Obiang, footballer

• Kingseley Obiekwe, basketball player

• Andrea Okene, footballer

• Jean Marie Okutu, athlete

• Helena Oma, basketball player

• Samu Omorodion, footballer

• Charles Ondo, footballer

• Bruno Ondo Mengue, basketball player

• Manuel Onwu, footballer

• Josephine Onyia, athlete

• Sydney Osazuwa, footballer

• Derik Osede, footballer

• Igor Oyono, footballer

• Salma Paralluelo, athlete and footballer

• Marvin Park, footballer

• Ana Peleteiro, athlete

• Lola Pendande, basketball player

• Jonás Ramalho, footballer

• Moha Ramos, footballer

• Randy, footballer

• Basilio Rieno, footballer

• Víctor Rofino, footballer

• Rui, footballer

• Iván Salvador, footballer

• Buba Sangaré, footballer

• Sitapha Savane, basketball player

• Sena, footballer

• Óscar Siafá, footballer

• Eddy Silvestre, footballer

• Sipo, footballer

• Mahamadou Susoho, footballer

• Youba Sissokho, boxer

• Stephen Sunday, footballer

• Mamadou Sylla, footballer

• Lysa Tchaptchet, handball player

• Cedric Teguía, footballer

• Roberto Tobe, futsal player

• Mamadou Tounkara, footballer

• Alhagi Touray Sisay, footballer

• Adama Traoré, footballer

• Mohamed Traoré, footballer

• Mark Ujakpor, athlete

• Valdo, footballer

• Iñaki Williams, footballer

• Loïc Williams, footballer

• Nico Williams, footballer

• Boison Wynney, footballer

• Yago Yao, football manager and player

• Benjamín Zarandona, footballer

• Iván Zarandona, footballer

• Loren Zúñiga, footballer