Ibiza and Formentera Recorded More Than 373,000 People on Solar Eclipse Day, Coming Close to Their 2017 Records

05 November 2026

Ibiza and Formentera recorded a combined estimated population of 373,346 people on 12 August 2026, the day of the total solar eclipse, bringing the two islands close to their previous historical human-pressure record from 2017.

According to the latest figures from the Balearic Institute of Statistics (Ibestat), Ibiza had 336,449 people present, while Formentera registered 36,896. Although both islands reached their highest daily figures of 2026 on eclipse day, neither surpassed its individual historical maximum.

The figures come from the August 2026 Human Pressure Index (Índice de Presión Humana, IPH), published on 4 November. The indicator estimates the number of residents and visitors present on each island throughout the month.

Ibiza Came Within 453 People of Its Historical Record

Ibiza registered 336,449 people on 12 August, just 453 below its previous historical maximum of 336,902, recorded on 9 August 2017.

The figure made eclipse day the busiest day of 2026 for the island in terms of estimated human pressure.

The previous day, 11 August, Ibiza had recorded 335,383 people. This means the estimated population present increased by 1,066 between the eve of the eclipse and the day itself.

Despite coming extremely close, the 2026 figure did not establish a new historical record for Ibiza.

Formentera Recorded 36,896 People on Eclipse Day

Formentera also reached its highest daily human-pressure figure of 2026 on 12 August, with an estimated 36,896 people present.

However, the island's historical maximum remains considerably higher. On 11 August 2017, Formentera recorded 40,994 people, meaning the eclipse-day figure was 4,098 below that record.

On 11 August 2026, the day before the eclipse, the island had registered 36,494 people. The number therefore increased by 402 on the day of the astronomical event.

The Pityusic Islands Were Just 3,592 People Below Their Combined Record

When Ibiza and Formentera are considered together, the 12 August figure reached 373,346 people.

This was close to the previous combined historical maximum of 376,938, recorded in August 2017.

The difference was 3,592 people, meaning the two islands remained less than one per cent below their previous record.

The comparison between the two days surrounding the eclipse shows how the figures evolved:

Date Ibiza Formentera Combined
11 August 2026 335,383 36,494 371,877
12 August 2026 336,449 36,896 373,346

The combined number increased by 1,469 people between the two dates, with both islands reaching their highest readings of the month on eclipse day.

Human Pressure Declined Towards the End of August

Following the 12 August peak, the estimated number of people present across the Pityusic Islands gradually declined.

On 19 August, Ibiza and Formentera still registered a combined 362,613 people.

By 31 August, the figure had fallen to 315,732, comprising 285,549 people in Ibiza and 30,183 in Formentera.

This represented a reduction of 57,614 people compared with eclipse day.

The figures illustrate the considerable variation in population pressure throughout the summer season, when the number of people present on the islands can be substantially higher than their registered resident populations.

The Balearic Islands as a Whole Did Break Their Historical Record

The results for Ibiza and Formentera differed from those for the Balearic archipelago overall.

Across all four islands, the Human Pressure Index reached its highest historical reading on 11 August, with 2,117,026 people. On 12 August, the day of the eclipse, the figure remained exceptionally high at 2,116,491.

Unlike the Pityusic Islands, the Balearic Islands as a whole established new historical records on both consecutive days.

The distribution also varied between islands. Mallorca and Menorca recorded their highest figures on 11 August, while Ibiza and Formentera reached their monthly peaks on 12 August.

The regional figures demonstrate that the eclipse coincided with an exceptionally high concentration of people across the archipelago, although the individual islands did not all follow the same pattern.

What the Human Pressure Index Actually Measures

The Human Pressure Index is published by Ibestat and estimates the number of people present in the Balearic Islands, including permanent residents and visitors.

It is an important statistical indicator for understanding the demands placed on infrastructure, transport, public services and the environment during the tourism season.

However, the figures should not be interpreted as a direct count of tourists or people who travelled specifically to observe the eclipse.

For Ibiza and Formentera, the August 2026 figures provide a clear indication of how close both islands came to their previous historical population-pressure records during an exceptionally busy summer day.

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