Migration in Spain: Internal, External, and Immigration
Migratory Movements
Migration is the movement of people in space. Emigration is moving out of a place. Immigration is the opposite. The difference between them is net migration, which can be positive or negative.
Internal Migration
Internal migrations take place within the borders of a country. These may include:
- Temporary: Whose duration is limited. Previously associated with agricultural work such as transhumance and certain tasks in the collection.
- Final: The rural exodus is the massive displacement of the rural population to the cities.
a) From the mid-19th century to the Civil War: The beginning of industrialization in Spain was delayed. From the mid-19th century, cities like Barcelona and Madrid began to acknowledge the problems of population pressure caused by the massive influx of peasants.
b) From 1936 to 1959: The Civil War marked a brake on the transfer of population from rural to urban areas. The postwar period was not favorable. The Stabilization Plan (1959) put an end to autarky.
c) From the Stabilization Plan to the economic crisis: The rural exodus acquired an unprecedented scale. The regions most affected were Galicia, Aragon, Castile and Leon, Castilla La Mancha, and Andalusia. The centers of attraction were located in industrialized areas: Basque Country, Catalonia, and Madrid. Causes included the mechanization of farming and the accelerated development of industry.
d) From 1975 to the present: The world economic crisis after 1973 (oil crisis) affected Spain. The industrial crisis generated a problem of unemployment that paralyzed the rural exodus. A demographic return then appeared.
Migration Today
a) Residential Migration: Motivated by elevated congestion and housing prices in major cities.
b) Pendular Migration: Normal displacement of the population from their place of residence to their workplace.
c) Work Migration: Exchange of population between places with greater economic dynamism and those that are more stagnant.
d) Return Demographic: Linked to the industrial crisis and the subsequent conversion of the early 1990s.
e) Entertainment Migration: Second residence areas such as coastal or mountain urbanized areas, may be permanent or temporary.
f) Other Migration Flows: Neoruralism, fueled by people leaving urban life.
Consequences of Migration
Population: These migrations alter the biological structure of populations in affected areas by changing birth and mortality rates.
Economic: Economic disparities between sending and receiving areas are accentuated.
Social: There has been a homogenization of values and lifestyles.
Environmental: Problems of congestion, pollution, waste, and increased real estate pressure on coastal areas have been created.
External Migrations
External migrations involve leaving the country. Main destinations: North Africa, America, and Western Europe.
a) Emigration to North Africa: Had its importance until the end of the 19th century and was oriented to Algeria.
b) Emissions to America: From the mid-19th century to 1939, it was an Atlantic current, predominantly males. The main destination was Argentina, then Cuba and Brazil. After the war, the end of the Civil War led to a significant influx for political reasons. From 1960 to now, migrants still come from Galicia, Asturias, and the Canary Islands, with the addition of Madrid and Barcelona as sources of output.
c) Migration to Europe: From the 19th century to the mid-1950s, it addressed priority jobs in France. Farmers were mainly Levantine. From the mid-1950s to 1973, it was the great moment of Spanish emigration to Europe. Destinations: France, Switzerland, and the German Federal Republic. From 1973 to today, the 1973 crisis caused European economies to enter a recession cycle.
Immigration in Spain
Spain ceased to be a country of emigrants to become a country of immigration. The foreign population in Spain includes:
- Those who have obtained Spanish nationality after several years spent in Spain.
- Foreigners who maintain their nationality and obtain a residence permit.
- Illegal aliens.
Catalonia has the largest foreign population, followed by Madrid and Valencia. Immigrants in Spain often take odd jobs for low pay. Many of them work in underground economy activities.
Consequences: Demographically, immigration contributes to raising population growth. Economically, it facilitates labor in sectors where workers are scarce.