Immigration, Urbanization, and the EU: A Socioeconomic Overview

Posted on Nov 14, 2024 in Geography

Foreign Population in Spain: In 2008, Spain hosted over 5 million immigrants, representing 11% of the total population. This influx occurred primarily over the preceding 15 years, concentrating in the Mediterranean area, the Canary Islands, and the Madrid metropolitan area. Catalonia and Madrid alone accounted for 40% of this population, with another 40% residing in Valencia, Andalusia, the Canary Islands, and Murcia.

In Catalonia, immigrant growth accelerated rapidly. While immigrants constituted only 6% of the total population in 2001, this figure rose to 15% by 2008. The distribution within Catalonia is concentrated:

  1. Primarily in the major cities of the Barcelona metropolitan area (Barcelona, Badalona, Sant Adrià, etc.), as well as in larger towns in the valleys and western cities of Baix Llobregat (Hospitalet de Llobregat).
  2. In the coastal regions of Girona, particularly Tarragona, where immigrants often work in construction and hospitality.
  3. In some districts of the Pyrenees with tourism-related activities, such as Alt Urgell and Cerdanya.
  4. In the capital region of Vic (Barcelona) and Cervera, where they engage in agriculture and livestock activities.

EU Migration Policy

The European Union aims to promote legal and orderly migration. EU policy encompasses access control, regulation of foreigners’ stays, combating illegal employment, and developing integration policies. The EU encourages work permits and regulated hiring practices. Despite these policies, a significant number of undocumented immigrants remain, estimated between 1 million and 1.5 million in Spain in 2007. These individuals, often entering as tourists, work in the underground economy in sectors like agriculture, construction, domestic service, and street vending.

Due to their undocumented status, they accept lower wages and harsh working conditions. Many risk their lives relying on clandestine transport networks, attempting to reach the EU via Spain by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar or arriving in the Canary Islands from the African coast.

The City and the Urban World

The Concept of the City

Defining a city relies on various criteria, often country-specific:

  1. Quantitative Criteria: This relates to the population size. In Spain, a city is generally defined as having over 10,000 inhabitants.
  2. Population Density and Continuity: Cities exhibit a certain level of population concentration and continuity of the urbanized area, characterized by distinct neighborhoods.
  3. Professional Activities: City inhabitants primarily work in the secondary and tertiary sectors.
  4. Catchment Area: Cities serve as centers for management, governance, economic and cultural activities, as well as production, consumption, and exchange.

Conclusion: While cities ideally meet all criteria, not all criteria are necessary for a habitat to be considered a city. Some municipalities classified as cities by population size may exhibit characteristics of rural areas, while others, despite smaller populations, function as cities.

Urbanization and Capitalism

With the rise of capitalism, urban land and buildings became commodities traded at prices determined by supply and demand. Urban land has limitations:

  1. Limited Supply: Land surface is finite, restricting the creation of new urban land, even with urban planning designating developable areas.
  2. Immobility: Urban land cannot be moved from high-demand to low-demand locations.

Land prices vary based on several factors:

  1. Centrality: City centers command higher prices due to limited availability and high demand, coupled with prestige.
  2. Building Type and Capacity: The type and size of permissible buildings influence land value, driven by construction companies and private interests seeking maximum profit.

Improvements in infrastructure, transportation, and communication networks positively impact land, housing, and building prices.

Social Agents

. / / / Definition: urban actors are all people and all Quelles institutions involved in the creation of urban space, the main actors are: | |1. The private owners of land and real estate developers, individuals or companies who are looking to get great benefits with the purchase of land and buildings, usually pressing these institutions to modify plans urbanísitcs and / or improve facilities. | | 2. The people: try to satisfy our basic needs for housing, and we want to minimize the negative aspects that involves living in a city.