Agricultural Areas of the Iberian Peninsula: A Comprehensive Review
Agricultural Areas of the Iberian Peninsula
Wet Spain (North and Northwest)
This region, characterized by a rugged terrain and oceanic climate, has limited arable land despite abundant rainfall. Traditionally, a dense population practiced subsistence polyculture, growing diverse products. However, low income led to emigration, resulting in an aging population and a shift towards specialized agriculture and livestock monoculture. The climate supports ample pastureland, unsuitable for farming, which fuels a livestock industry driven by urban demand and the availability of land due to rural exodus.
Interior of the Peninsula
Encompassing the two plateaus and the Ebro depression, this area features a continentalized Mediterranean climate and varied relief. Recent decades have witnessed significant migration, leading to land abandonment. Settlement patterns are concentrated, with land ownership ranging from small holdings in the north to larger estates in areas like Burgos and Castilla La-Mancha. Agriculture occupies 44% of the surface, divided between rainfed crops (cereals, legumes) on the moors and more intensive, irrigated agriculture in the fertile plains near rivers. Livestock farming concentrates in the Iberian Central System and Pyrenees, with cattle near urban centers and sheep in areas like the Sierra de la Demanda and Extremadura. Extensive pastures in Extremadura, Zamora, and Salamanca support pig and cattle farming, including hunting.
Warm Mediterranean Spain
This narrow coastal strip, including the Balearic Islands and the Guadalquivir depression, features flat terrain near the coast. Traditionally dispersed, the rural population has declined and concentrated due to increasing coastal occupancy. Land division is pronounced in irrigated areas, while rainfed areas have larger properties. Water availability is key, with irrigated areas supporting intensive agriculture, including rice, fruit, vegetables, and flowers, primarily for urban markets and export. Rainfed areas cultivate cereals, grapes, olives, and almonds. Livestock includes sheep and pigs in rainfed areas and bulls around the Guadalquivir.
Canary Islands
The volcanic, rugged landscape of the Canary Islands, with low rainfall and warm temperatures, presents challenges for agriculture. Tourism and the tertiary sector have driven rural population decline. Agrarian structure contrasts sharply, with smallholdings in middle and upper areas and irrigated farms along the coast. Coastal agriculture focuses on exports (bananas, potatoes, crops under plastic, avocado, papaya, and pineapple), while middle and upper areas practice rainfed agriculture for local consumption, primarily potatoes and vines.