Spanish Population Trends: Analysis and Distribution

Posted on Dec 9, 2024 in Geography

Evolution of the Spanish Population

This analysis of population trends in Spain is differentiated into two stages: the pre-statistical and the statistical.

Pre-statistical Stage

This stage includes the centuries preceding the first modern census, conducted in Spain in the second half of the nineteenth century. Knowledge from this period is very imprecise due to a lack of reliable sources. We know that the Spanish population experienced booms alternating with moments of crisis, never exceeding seven million inhabitants.

Statistical Stage

This stage begins in 1857, with the first modern census. Between that date and 1900, the Spanish population increased, albeit weakly. During the first half of the twentieth century, the pace of growth was emphasized, thanks to medical advances, improvements in health, hygiene, and food. All of this lowered the mortality rate, but some events slowed the growth, such as the 1918 flu, the Civil War, and emigration to Latin America and France.

In the decades from 1950 to 1970, population growth reached its highest splendor, resulting from a demographic transition with decreasing mortality, maintaining high birth rates, and economic and health improvements. However, the exodus of migrants was an important restraining factor. Before the start of the 1980s, a change in trend occurred, and growth slowed due to the sharp drop in the birth rate.

Spatial Distribution of the Spanish Population

The distribution is analyzed in terms of how the population is localized in space and what characteristics define the occupation process. This could be summarized as a “general increase in population density,” an opposition between the densely populated coast and the sparsely populated interior, and consequences in urban areas versus rural depopulation.

Evolution of Population Density

Population density has evolved towards higher values. In the pre-statistical stage, the enormous weight of the Crown of Castile is highlighted, hosting three-quarters of the Spanish population, while the suburbs had lower densities.

During the nineteenth century, the density map began to change and set the current frame. Throughout the twentieth century, density continued to rise. In relation to density values in other European countries, Spain has traditionally been characterized as having one of the lowest. Today, the population density remains low, but Ireland and the Nordic countries have even lower densities.

Areas of Population Concentration and Depopulation (Statistical Stage; Today)

The four autonomous communities with the highest percentage of the population are those on the Mediterranean periphery and Madrid. The communities with the smallest populations are La Rioja, Navarra, Cantabria, and the Balearic Islands.
If we use density values, the results vary. Communities with higher values are Madrid, the Basque Country, and the Canary Islands, followed by the Mediterranean and Balearic periphery. The autonomous communities with values that do not exceed 50 inhabitants/km² are Aragon, Extremadura, and New Castile (interior).
The provinces with the highest densities are on the peninsular coast, except for Madrid and Seville.
The provinces that do not exceed 50 inhabitants/km² correspond to the regions of Extremadura, New Castile, Aragon, the interior of Galicia, Catalonia, and Andalusia.

The characteristic that best defines the distribution of the Spanish population is the opposition between a half-empty interior and densely populated coastal areas, although there are exceptions to this pattern, such as Madrid, Seville, Huelva, and Almeria.

Causes of Population Distribution

Geographical factors: Climate and altitude represent major obstacles to population settlement. Extreme weather conditions, such as those in the interior of the peninsula, are not conducive to habitability or the development of economic activities. Altitude and topography also represent challenges for human occupancy. The vast majority of provinces with low densities have colder, continentalized climates or are occupied by mountain systems.
Demographic factors: Inland populations have lower natural growth and an older population structure compared to coastal areas, which are supported by a younger population.
Socioeconomic factors: These are social or economic situations that attract the population to certain geographical areas. The basic factor of inequality has been emigration. Internal migration flows are caused by the concentration of more productive economic activities in a few areas.

Rural and Urban Population

One of the most prominent features in recent decades has been the loss of importance of municipalities under 10,000 inhabitants, while large and medium cities have gained significance. This process has encouraged, on the one hand, a more concentrated population in space and, on the other, a population with a more urban character.

Natural or Vegetative Growth Dynamics of the Spanish Population

Birth and Fertility

Birth defines a demographic aspect referring to births within a population as a whole. Fertility is a phenomenon related to live births, considered from the perspective of women of childbearing age.

Evolution of Childbirth and Fertility

Until recently, Spain was a country with a high birth rate. Surprisingly, in a very short period, Spanish birth and fertility rates have become among the lowest in the world. Although the declining birth rate began in the nineteenth century, it was still high in the early twentieth century. Stronger cyclical downturns occurred because of the Civil War. The most dramatic decline came in the late 1990s.

Why Has Birth and Fertility Decreased So Much?

The reasons are multiple and complex, including economic and cultural causes:

The emancipation of women and their incorporation into the labor market.
The cost of education and parenting.
Self-natalist behavior of each generation, the result of life experience.

Spatial Distribution

Birth and fertility rates have fallen in all autonomous communities, although differences remain. The southern regions and islands have the highest rates, followed by the more economically developed regions. However, the central and northern peninsular communities have the lowest rates. Communities with higher birth rates were Andalusia, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia, Madrid, Murcia, and Navarra. The lowest values were in Asturias, Castilla-Leon, and Galicia.

Mortality

Mortality Trends

Mortality is a phenomenon related to the deaths of members of a population. From the late nineteenth century until now, the Spanish population was characterized by high mortality rates and low life expectancy. Today, it is one of the lowest in the world. Infant mortality has followed a similar path; today, it is around 6.0%.

Life expectancy at birth has also developed highly positive values throughout the twentieth century due to declining mortality. It is now around 78 years for men and slightly more for women. There has been a significant increase in the average life expectancy of women; the difference between the average life expectancy of men and women is about 7 years.

Causes of Death

Causes of mortality have changed. In the past, catastrophic mortality dominated due to subsistence crises, famine, epidemics, and war, which, with their cyclical appearance, kept the population stagnant despite high birth rates. In a crisis situation, children were even more vulnerable. These types of exogenous causes are known for having their origin in the external environment. Today, causes of death are related to degenerative diseases and diseases or social life characteristic of today’s society. Diseases of the circulatory and digestive systems, endogenous and violent deaths stand out. The predominant causes of mortality in our country can be summed up quite well with the famous “three Cs” (heart, cancer, and road). Mortality is concentrated in older age groups and more among men than women.

Factors That Explain the Decline in Mortality

Firstly, there are supporters of the role of medical advances. Others support the influence of better socioeconomic resources, especially food. A third group believes it is the result of the combination of a number of social, economic, and cultural factors that have a positive impact on improving the health of the population.

Spatial Distribution of Mortality in Spain

There are differences between regions. Spatial opposition also occurs between rural and urban areas as a result of different modes of life, inequality in access to healthcare, education, and welfare levels. However, the aging population is distributed differently, unlike the birth map.

Natural Growth

Natural Growth Phases

Natural growth has had a positive trend since the late nineteenth century due to the continued decline in mortality and the slower decline in birth rates. However, within this positive trend, there have been ups and downs, such as epidemics and wars. For these reasons, different stages can be established:

From the second half of the nineteenth century to the early twentieth century: There is an irregular evolution of epidemic mortality.
During the first half of the twentieth century: Higher growth rates are maintained as a result of reduced ordinary mortality and maintaining high birth rates. The two turning points are marked by the flu epidemic of 1918 and the mortality caused by the Civil War, but growth is slow.
From the 1950s to the 1970s: The period of increased natural growth takes place, resulting from mortality reaching its lowest values and a fairly high birth rate (demographic transition).
Natural growth began its decline in the late 1970s of the twentieth century, following the sharp drop in fertility. Therefore, there has been a sharp reduction in the rate of natural increase in a short period. In recent years, a slight recovery has begun due to immigration.

Why Does Natural Growth Change? (Theory of Demographic Transition)

The birth rate, mortality, and natural growth have evolved very similarly. To explain this evolution, the so-called demographic transition theory has been formulated. This theory describes the demographic transition from the old system, characterized by high birth and mortality rates that originated slow growth, to a modern demographic system, again with slow growth but now due to reduced birth and mortality rates. Between both periods, there would be a transition phase with high growth, following a decline in mortality preceding the birth rate.

The causes of demographic transition processes are related to social, cultural, and especially economic modernization. The Spanish aggregate demographic transition has a certain uniqueness compared to other European countries; the time of maximum growth of the Spanish population was delayed nearly a century with respect to some European countries.