Demographic Transition and Urban Development in Spain
Demographic Transition
Demographic transition refers to the historical shift within an area or country, where the birth rate gradually declines, while the death rate decreases rapidly, causing rapid and abundant population growth. In the Spanish case, this period started in the early twentieth century and ended around 1975, giving way to the modern demographic regime when the birth rate began to fall.
Urban Morphology
Urban morphology is the study of the form of cities. This study is complex due to the many elements that intervene in the configuration of a city:
- The relief where the city is located (mountain or plain, coast or interior, etc.).
- River history: each time, it generates different forms of cities.
- Economic factors.
Rural Exodus
The rural exodus consists of a population movement characterized by mass emigration from rural areas to large cities, attracted by the employment opportunities and services of the industry.
Urban Site
Urban site could be considered a synonymous term with “city”, that is, a population nucleus defined by its inhabitants and their number, where the majority have non-agricultural occupations.
Urban Center
Urban center: The area where businesses, commerce, entertainment, and media are concentrated.
Crude Birth Rate
The indicator used to study the birth rate is the ratio between the number of live births per thousand inhabitants within a year.
Natural Population Growth
Natural population growth is the difference between the number of births and deaths in a given population. The natural increase of a population is the result of this difference and is expressed as a percentage. It can be positive (population increases) or negative (the population decreases).
Peri-urban or Suburban Area
Peri-urban or suburban area: An area with unclear boundaries where rural and urban land uses and lifestyles are mixed.
Metropolitan Area
Metropolitan area: A large urban sprawl surrounding a major city, which covers several municipalities, among which there are significant economic and social relations.
City Expansion (Ensanche)
City expansion (Ensanche): Expansion of the city beyond its preindustrial walls.
Urban Hierarchy
Urban hierarchy: Organization of cities according to their importance in terms of size, functions, and area of influence.
Radiocentric Plan
Radiocentric plan: A large-scale map that shows the areas of a city organized on streets radiating from a center, cut by others forming rings around the center.
Orthogonal Plan
Orthogonal plan: A large-scale map that shows the areas of a city organized on streets intersecting at right angles.
Municipal Register
The municipal register is the register of the inhabitants of the municipalities. It is a dynamic document that must be continually updated. It also collects demographic, economic, and social data of a population.
Birth Rate and Net Migration
The birth rate is a measure of quantification of fertility, which refers to the relationship between the number of births in a given period and the total number of inhabitants in the same period. The net migration is the balance between immigration and emigration in a certain place. When net migration is positive, the population increases; when net migration is negative, the population declines.