According to Mr Esteve's figures, the correlation is roughly one international marriage for every two new migrants.

ECONOMIST: International marriage

"Spain is less attractive because there are no jobs, " Albert Esteve of the Barcelona Centre for Demographic Studies told Spain's National Radio.

BBC: Europe

Albert Esteve of the Autonomous University of Barcelona reckons that the total number of cross-border marriages among 25-39-year-olds in his sample was about 12m in 2000.

ECONOMIST: International marriage