Urbanization in Spain: Growth, Crisis, and Trends
Urbanization in Spain
June 2003
Growth Factors
Urbanization experienced significant growth, with the urban population exceeding the rural population. Factors contributing to this growth included:
- Administrative factors, such as designating cities as capitals.
- Economic and social factors, such as the development of modern industry.
Stages of Modern Industry (Until 1960)
- Until Mid-19th Century: Limited urban concentration; growth driven by provincial capitals and maritime commerce.
- Civil War and Post-War Period: Slow urban growth due to supply problems and policies favoring rural populations. Note the creation of industrial areas and worker neighborhoods during the mid-19th and early 20th centuries.
- Since 1950: Major Spanish cities experienced substantial growth due to natural population increase and immigration, fueled by an industrial boom and the development of services.
The Stage 1960-1975
This period saw the greatest economic and urban growth of the century, driven by:
- Industry attracting rural labor to industrialized cities, coupled with high natural urban population growth.
- Tertiary activities driving the growth of metropolitan areas, which concentrated economic activity and attracted rural populations.
- Improved living standards, overcoming malnutrition and shortages from the war.
- Rural exodus, reaching its peak between 1950 and 1975, caused by population growth, agricultural mechanization, and tourism on the Mediterranean coast.
The Crisis of 1975 and Beyond
The 1975 crisis introduced changes that impacted Spain’s urbanization:
- Slowing Urbanization Rate: Due to reduced natural growth and rural exodus, and restructuring of the productive system.
- Industrial Decline: Deindustrialization and the decline of industrial metropolitan areas.
- Stagnation and Recovery: Between 1975 and the mid-1990s, metropolitan areas stagnated due to declining birth rates and migration. Since 1997, they have recovered growth due to increased foreign immigration.
Main Trends
of growth are agglomerations and cities till q connect these nuclei d population. The problems of diffusion d d agglomeration urbanization are, “Densification and constructive demographic and urban pressure on the undeveloped area and spreading population is settled, acia following amenities activities and medium-sized cities and rural areas. “The high price of buying or viviendas.se alqiler tries to mitigate with the construction of housing and acute to alqiler xa certain social groups. “The need of many supplies and following amenities. urban growth generates q resource consumption are costly and accentuates the need to promote AORRA. -Traffic management and dl transporte.Las cities have traffic problems caused d d x the need and supply
home-work journeys. x to tackle them are created bypasses large expanse of parking. B. Problems economicos.se outsourcing owe d excessive urban activities. x alleviate hese goals are to prevent the disappearance problem farming activities d, reinvigorate the industry and disseminate advanced tertiary activities. C. Social problems. are more frequent n the big cities, highlight the alcohol, prostitution … Xa solucianarlos crime prevention campaigns are planned ys xa action plan to promote the integration d immigrants. D. Environmental issues. focus on:-existence of urban microclimate temperatures and higher rainfall field q dl-contamination of atmosferica.se promotes public transport and the energetic AORRA-High levels of noise. take measures such as installation of anti-noise panels, traffic regulation …- dl d waste production and disposal. reduction is encouraged, recovery and recycling d cities. D-The disappearance of green spaces uments d congestion in cities. remodel urban and protected areas are created n the urban setting.