The Urban Hierarchy in Spain: Types, Functions, and Development

Posted on Nov 8, 2024 in Geography

The Urban Hierarchy in Spain

The Role of the City and Areas of Influence

The hierarchical ranking of a population center is determined by its features and functions. In Spain, we can establish six urban ranges:

  1. Highly Globalized Metropolises: Metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona are connected to global economic centers and have a very advanced tertiary sector.
  2. National-Large Cities: These cities have significant economic diversity, such as Valencia, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Seville, and Malaga, which are important administrative, commercial, and tourist centers.
  3. Regional Urban Centers: Connected to big cities, these centers distribute specialized services. Examples include Oviedo, Alicante, Murcia, and Las Palmas.
  4. Provincial Capitals: Cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 inhabitants, such as Gijón, Elche, San Sebastián, Jerez de la Frontera, Albacete, Badajoz, and Lorca.
  5. Small Cities: These cities have a more limited scope of influence and a population between 25,000 and 50,000 inhabitants. Examples include Úbeda, Ronda, and Plasencia.
  6. County Headers: Locations supplying basic services to their regions with populations under 25,000 inhabitants. Examples include Requena, Haro, and Ponferrada.

Functional Types of Spanish Cities

We can identify eight functional types of urban cities in Spain:

  1. Cities with a large economic base and well-networked internationally.
  2. Cities with balanced economic sectors.
  3. Cities with a significant administrative burden.
  4. Business cities.
  5. Cities heavily dominated by industry.
  6. Tourist cities.
  7. University cities.
  8. Cities with a heavy weight of military or naval activities.

Spanish System of Cities

The Spanish territory can be divided into several urban subsystems:

  • Central Subsystem: Around Madrid, incorporating much of Castilla-La Mancha and parts of Castilla y León.
  • Southwest Subsystem: Composed of cities in Andalusia and Extremadura, with a less well-established structure.
  • North Subsystem: Two interconnected subsystems: the Bilbao-Zaragoza corridor and the Castilian-Leonese towns.
  • Levantine Subsystem: With Valencia as the dominant city.
  • Other subsystems: Catalan, Canary, and Balearic.

Metropolitan Areas in Spain

National, Regional, and Subregional Metropolises

Metropolitan areas are urban areas with municipalities exceeding 300,000 inhabitants, functioning as a unit for real estate, labor, transportation, and purchasing. In Spain, we have different types of metropolitan areas:

  • Large Metropolitan Areas: Madrid and Barcelona, facing the greatest management challenges.
  • Consolidated Metropolitan Areas: With over 1 million inhabitants, including Valencia and Seville.
  • Medium Metropolitan Areas (500,000-1,000,000 inhabitants):
    • With a clearly dominant central city: Bilbao, Zaragoza, Murcia, and Las Palmas.
    • With a complex urban system: Central Asturias, Vigo, and Alicante.
  • Smaller Metropolitan Areas (300,000-500,000 inhabitants): Some present complex territorial management challenges, while others are still under development.

Axes of Urban Development

An axis of development occurs when cities are organized around land transport infrastructure. The main axes forming the Spanish urban system are:

  • Mediterranean or Levantine Axis: From Girona to Murcia, with great development potential.
  • Ebro Axis: From Bilbao to Tarragona.
  • Cantabrian Axis: From the Basque Country to Galicia, marked by north-south relationships and high urbanization.
  • Galician-Atlantic Axis: Concentrates most of Galicia’s productive sector and extends into Portugal.
  • Madrid: Its central location connects it to several axes and holds significant weight in the Spanish economy.
  • Andalusian Coast Axis: A major tourist corridor and continuation of the Mediterranean axis, connecting with Africa.
  • Andalusian Cross-Axis: Built around Highway 92, promoting the development of cities along its path.
  • Madrid-Spain Axis: Connects key areas in the south, such as Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, and Cadiz, experiencing strong demographic growth.
  • Western Axis: Extends from Huelva and Seville to Asturias, maintaining high demographic rates and encompassing high-potential areas.