Spain’s Economy: Sectors, Population, and Internet Impact
ITEM 5 PRODUCTION STRUCTURE
A / The Structure of Production in Spain
In recent years, Spain’s most important sector is the tertiary sector, indicating a process of outsourcing in the Spanish economy. The construction and agriculture sectors follow in importance, but to a lesser extent.
B / Economic Sectors
Economic sectors are divided into three main categories:
- Primary Sector: Includes activities related to nature.
- Secondary Sector: Involves the transformation of raw materials into consumer products.
Agricultural Landscapes in Spain: Wet and Peninsular Zones
The Diversity of Agricultural Landscapes in Spain
Agricultural Landscape of Wet Spain
It comprises the north and northwest peninsular. The agrarian structure is characterized by:
- A large population, which the field could not provide enough income for, so it was forced to migrate. Today, a predominantly dispersed, aging population is settled in the area.
- The property system is characterized by smallholders. Farmers are owners of small parcels surrounded by hedgerows and far apart, reducing their profitability
Humanization, Pre-Roman Iberia, and Roman Conquest
The Process of Humanization
Lower Paleolithic
There is general agreement that hominization begins in Africa with Australopithecus. It evolved into Homo habilis, which is the first human species. The earliest human remains in the Iberian Peninsula were found in the Sima de los Huesos in the Sierra de Atapuerca. Homo heidelbergensis served as a transition between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo antecessor.
Middle Paleolithic
100,000 – 35,000 years ago: Homo Neanderthal used small tools, useful as scrapers.
Read MoreGlobal Culture, Economy, and Societal Shifts
Perspectives on Global Culture
Skeptics: Emphasize the thinness of global culture relative to national cultures, highlighting contestation where integration and the spread of ideas and images provoke reactions and resistance.
Transformationalists: Focus on the intermingling of cultures and peoples, resulting in hybrids, glocalities, and new forms.
Hyperglobalizers: See a trend towards global cultural homogenization, driven by American or Western popular culture and consumerism.
Cultural Imperialism
Age of Exploration: Discoveries and Conquests
European Trade Routes and the Age of Exploration
In the Middle Ages, European trade with the East was conducted through the Silk Road. Merchants traveled the Mediterranean, reached Constantinople, and from there, proceeded to Asia. The African Path involved reaching the Madeira and Azores islands, and later, the Gulf of Guinea. Regarding the Map of India, Vasco da Gama reached the coast of India in 1498, opening a sea route to the Moluccas. This era saw great development in cartography, with portulans
Read MoreDemographics: Understanding Population Dynamics and Indicators
Demographics: The Science of Population
Demographics is the study of population and its related issues, relying heavily on socioeconomic indicators.
Key Demographic Indicators
- Total Population Growth: Net result of migration (immigration and emigration) and natural increase.
- Natural Increase: The difference between birth rates and death rates.
- Migrations: The movement of people from one area to another, involving a change of residence and jurisdiction.
- Fertility Rate: The average number of children born