Rural Areas in Spain: Influencing Factors and Evolution

Posted on Nov 6, 2024 in Geography

Rural Areas in Spain

Influencing Factors

Physical Factors

Physical factors, though less impactful than in the past due to technological advancements, still play a role in shaping rural areas. These include:

  • Relief: Abundant high altitudes and steep slopes hinder mechanization and contribute to erosion.
  • Climate: Low and unpredictable rainfall (thunderstorms, hail), extreme temperatures (intense heat and cold), and varying degrees of aridity characterize much of the area.
  • Soils: Predominantly poor quality and prone to erosion, reducing fertility.

Agrarian Structure

The agrarian structure is divided into two types:

  • Traditional Agrarian Structure: Characterized by labor-intensive small or large farms using outdated technology. This resulted in low yields, production primarily for domestic consumption, and a market protected by tariffs from foreign competition.
  • Current Agrarian Structure (from the 1960s): Characterized by a scarce and aging population, a progressive increase in intensive farming, and the incorporation of technological advances. This has led to higher yields, products geared towards regional and international markets, and participation in a globalized and liberalized market.

Rural Settlement and Habitat

Rural Settlement: The collection of human settlements in rural areas.

  • Origin: Related to topography, water availability, economic factors, resource availability, and historical factors (Reconquista).
  • Typology: Two main models exist:
    • Dispersed Settlement: Houses are separated and surrounded by land comprising fields, meadows, and forests.
      • Absolute: Houses are completely isolated.
      • Interstitial: Houses scattered among concentrated nuclei, sharing services.
      • Loose: Small clusters of houses or hamlets scattered across the landscape.
    • Concentrated Settlement: Houses are grouped together forming villages.
      • Linear: Arranged along a street or road.
      • Nucleated: Houses grouped around an irregularly shaped center.

Recent changes in rural settlements include:

  • Interior: Settlements shrinking due to rural exodus, especially in remote areas with limited resources.
  • Coastal Areas: Crowded tourist developments transforming rural areas and diminishing their traditional agricultural character.
  • Peri-urban Areas: Urban expansion incorporating nearby rural communities into the urban continuum.

Rural Habitat: The morphology of rural housing depends on construction materials and floor plans.

  • Materials: Vary by region, giving rise to different housing types.
    • Stone Houses: Constructed with irregular stones (masonry) or regular blocks, often without cement or mortar (Peripheral Peninsula, Balearic and Canary Islands, Extremadura).
    • Timber-framed Houses: Wooden structure filled with masonry or brick (Basque Country, Segovia, Guadalajara).
    • Mud Houses: Using sun-dried raw clay mixed with straw, formed into adobe blocks or placed between wooden panels (both plateaus, Ebro Valley, Valencia, Murcia, Guadalquivir).
  • Floor Plans: Related to the agricultural activities of the inhabitants.
    • House Block: All units (housing, stable, barn, warehouse) under one roof. Single-story or multi-level, with agricultural functions on the ground floor and housing above. Often includes an attic for storage.

Recent changes in rural habitat include:

  • Abandonment and destruction of traditional houses, replaced by new constructions mimicking urban villa styles. This disrupts the harmony of the traditional landscape and leads to the loss of cultural heritage. Initiatives are underway to protect and preserve traditional styles.

Land Policy

After joining the European Community, Spain adopted the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

From the First Half of the 20th Century to the CAP:

  • Land Ownership: Largely unchanged, influenced by confiscations, the agrarian reform of the Second Republic, and irrigation expansion.
  • Property Size: Addressed through land consolidation policies and legislation on large farms.
  • Trade Protectionism: Tariffs imposed on foreign products.
  • Yield Improvement: Achieved through technical improvements and irrigation expansion.

The impact of these policies led to Spain’s integration into the European common market (interior, exterior, and European free trade).

Spain faces challenges related to high commodity prices, surplus production, consumer demands, rural depopulation, and regional disparities.