Spain’s Economic Activity and Energy
Lesson 8: Spain’s Economic Activity
Energy: A Basic Element of the Economy
1.1 Insufficient Energy Production
Energy sources are crucial in advanced societies due to their high consumption rates. Control over energy resources has significant economic, social, and spatial implications. Like many developed countries, Spain’s energy production is insufficient, requiring imports for over four-fifths of its consumption. Petroleum and natural gas imports are particularly significant. Spanish energy production
Read MoreSpanish Migration: Two Centuries of Movement and Change
1. External Migration
A. Migration to North Africa (19th Century)
During the 19th century, significant Spanish emigration occurred to North Africa, primarily Algeria. Migrants from Alicante, Murcia, and Almeria, mainly farmers and miners, sought better living conditions. They primarily worked in public works and agriculture.
B. Emigration Overseas (Early to Mid-20th Century)
The first half of the 20th century saw substantial emigration overseas. Initially, destinations included Argentina, Cuba, Brazil,
Read MoreGlobal Industrial and Agricultural Landscapes
Industrial Sectors
Europe
The highest industrial concentration in Europe is in Southeast England, Benelux, Alsace-Lorraine, the Black Forest, Switzerland, and the Po Valley. Lower density is found in older industrial regions like Eastern and Northern Spain, Scotland, and the Rhone Valley. Isolated industrial enclaves exist around Madrid, Dublin, Lisbon, and Athens.
United States
A leading power in basic industrial products and electrical use, the U.S. traditionally focused industry in the Northeast.
Read MoreFeudal Economic Expansion: Population, Agriculture, and Trade (10th-14th C.)
Characteristics of Feudal Economic Expansion (10th-14th Centuries)
Economic Growth
Economic growth during this period was extensive but short-lived and often reversible. Increased production relied more on expanding cropland and family-based production units than on capital investment or improved efficiency. This made it susceptible to the law of diminishing marginal productivity, especially in agriculture. The 10th-13th centuries saw considerable growth, followed by a decline in both product and
Read MoreCharles V’s Reign: Legacy, Conflicts, and Wars
The Empire of Charles V: Internal Conflicts
a) The Heritage of Charles V
- Maternal Inheritance: The Crown of Aragon, Castile and Navarre, North African possessions, and Italian territories.
- Paternal Inheritance: Netherlands and Franche-Comté.
- 1515: Territories of his grandfather Maximilian I (Holy Roman Emperor) south of present-day Germany, Austria, and the Tyrol. Also, the rights to the imperial crown (Charles V in 1519).
This vast and diverse inheritance consisted of heterogeneous states that were
Read MoreSpanish Land Confiscation in the 19th Century: Impacts and Outcomes
Definition
The confiscation and auction of land involving servants (city and state) and the Church developed in Spain in different stages. These centered around the attempts by Godoy, the Cortes of Cadiz, and the Liberal Triennium, culminating in two large confiscations: the ecclesiastical Mendizabal and the civil Madoz.
Spanish Country Situation
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Spanish countryside was characterized by rentier exploitation. Landowners sought income, precluding innovation.
Read More