Urban Structure and Planning in Spain: An Overview
The Urban Structure of Spain
A) New Forms and Current City Structures
Influence Area of Cities
Cities are central places that supply goods and services to an area of influence. The German geographer Christaller in 1933 awarded to places of influence central hexagonal areas, so people within an influence area would have six villages, etc., to reach larger cities in the category. The result is an organized territory as a hexagonal grid.
Example: Madrid’s Influence in Spain
- Madrid is the main center and
Human Settlements in Space: Urban and Rural Development
Human Settlements in Space
Types of Settlements
Human settlements in space can be categorized into two main types: rural and urban. These differ in their size, characteristics, and predominant economic activities.
Rural Settlements
Rural settlements are typically smaller, including villages and towns, where the primary sector (e.g., agriculture) dominates. Factors influencing the location of rural settlements include physical features like relief, water availability, and soil fertility, as well as historical
Read More17th Century Spain: Crisis, Decline, and Golden Age
The 17th Century in Spain: Crisis and Transformation
The Crisis of the Habsburg Empire
The 17th century in Europe was a period of widespread crisis, marked by economic depression, epidemics, religious conflicts, and challenges to absolutist states. Spain, under the rule of the Habsburg monarchs Philip III, Philip IV, and Charles II, experienced this crisis acutely. Two key features defined this era:
- The decline of Spain’s European hegemony due to the ongoing crisis.
- The remarkable cultural and artistic
Industry and Geography Terms
Terms
Industry
Industry is the activity that transforms raw materials into semi-finished or processed goods using a source of energy. Thus, its foundations are raw materials and energy sources.
Raw Materials
Raw materials are resources that the industry transforms into developed or semi-finished products.
- Raw materials come from organic farming, livestock, and forestry.
- Raw materials are extracted from mineral deposits or areas of mineral concentration.
Metal Minerals
Metal minerals are used for basic industry
Read MoreThe Industrial Revolutions: Transforming Europe
The Industrialization of European Companies
The Two Stages of Industrialization
The industrialization of Europe occurred in two distinct stages: the First and Second Industrial Revolutions. The First Industrial Revolution saw the introduction of machinery, particularly in textiles and metallurgy, replacing manual labor and utilizing steam power. The Second Industrial Revolution expanded upon these advancements.
1. Population Growth and Agricultural Expansion
Demographic Revolution
The Industrial Revolution
Read MoreSpain’s Industrial Development in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Agricultural Development
Spain’s industrialization lagged behind the rest of Europe in the 19th century. Its economy remained largely agrarian, with a small and uncompetitive industrial sector. This was due in part to the poor development of the agricultural sector, caused by factors such as:
- Poor land quality
- Adverse weather conditions
- Ineffective agrarian reforms
Liberal land reforms abolished feudal estates and redistributed land, but this often led to short-term profit-seeking rather than long-term
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