Al-Andalus: Society, Economy, and Politics in Islamic Spain
Al-Andalus: A Diverse and Heterogeneous Population
Al-Andalus had a very diverse population. In addition to the Goths, there were invading Muslims, a majority of whom were Berbers from North Africa, settled in the poorest areas of Hispania. During the most flourishing period of the Caliphate, the population reached five million due to the general economic progress of Al-Andalus. Some Goths remained Christian, but most converted to Islam, and were called renegades or Muladi. Christians and Jews enjoyed
Read MoreAutonomous Communities and Geography of Spain
Autonomous Communities of Spain
The State of Autonomy is the state organization that recognizes the right of self-government of the nationalities and regions that comprise it. In Spain, it was introduced by the 1978 Constitution, which established the conditions and processes to achieve autonomy (Articles 143 and 151). There are seventeen autonomous communities in the Spanish State:
- Catalonia
- Basque Country
- Galicia
- Andalusia
- Navarra
- Canary Islands
- Principality of Asturias
- Cantabria
- Aragon
- Castilla and León
- Madrid
- Extremadura
- La
Byzantine and Arab Civilizations: History and Culture
Byzantine Civilization: The Eastern Roman Empire
Constantinople was its political and theocratic center, ruled by a despotic monarchy. The system was characterized by Caesaropapism.
Arab Civilization: A Theocratic Society
Climate of the Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula has an extremely hot and dry climate.
Oases and Their Importance
Oases are small, vegetated areas. Without them, the presence of nomadic peoples of Semitic origin in the region would be impossible.
Settlement of the Arabian Peninsula
Settlement
Read MoreSpanish Industry: Territorial Trends and Sector Analysis
Current territorial trends in Spanish industry:
- Main production sectors: Steel-based activities or metallurgy are primarily located along the Cantabrian coast, especially in the Basque Country and Asturias, where the major integrated steel mills in Spain are situated.
- Metallurgy processing and the manufacturing of all kinds of machinery are concentrated within the Barcelona-Basque Country-Madrid triangle.
- Vehicle manufacturing, mainly cars, is also found in this area. Large shipyards are located in
Energy Sources: A Comprehensive View
Energy Sources
Non-Renewable Sources
Petroleum
Origin: Sedimentary rocks, organic debris deposited on the seafloor.
Features: Most environmentally harmful; most valuable raw material with various derivatives.
Producers: Nigeria, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, UAE.
Brazil: Self-sufficient in crude oil (Pre-salt: ES to SC, Maritime: Campos Basin, Santos Basin, Continental: RN, BA, SE, PE, AL, MA).
Natural Gas
Origin: Similar to oil.
Features: Affordable, less polluting
Demographics and Labor Force in Catalonia
Catalonia’s Aging Population
The population over the age of 65 is quite large, representing 17% of the total population. This is due to the lengthening of life expectancy, especially in women. Recently, the number of people over 65 years old has surpassed the number of people in Catalonia between 0 and 15 years old.
Socio-professional Structure of the Population
Economic Activity
The population can also be classified according to their participation in economic activities, generally into two groups:
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