Demographic Structure and Urban Habitat Analysis
Demographic Structure
Regarding population structure, more men are born than women, yet women have higher life expectancy rates. The healthcare system helps explain the ratio between males and females; in societies with more resources, such as medical devices, men die at younger ages. The prevalence of women increases in older age groups, and sex ratios decrease as the population ages.
There are notable differences in sex ratios between autonomous communities. Some regions have more men than women (e.g., Canary Islands, La Rioja), while others, often those with higher aging indices, have a higher female ratio (e.g., Galicia, Basque Country).
Youth and Aging
- Young population: Those under 15 years old.
- Adult population: Those between 15 and 64 years old.
- Elderly population: Those 65 years and older.
Population Pyramids
This structure represents the age and sex of a population in a specific territory at a given moment. In Spain, the 1900 pyramid reflected a young society, while the 1950 pyramid showed a tendency toward maturity. By 2008, there was a significant decline in younger age brackets.
Labor Market
The working population consists of those who work or are available to do so. This includes the employed population and those who are unemployed (people who want to work but cannot find a job).
Rural and Urban Habitat
Rural Habitats
The population lives in the countryside:
- Dispersed: Residential and productive buildings are spread out with little space between them.
- Concentrated: Grouping of buildings with minimal empty space, clearly differentiating inhabited areas from agricultural land.
- Intercalated dispersed: A settlement type scattered across the territory.
- Lax concentrated: Small villages distributed with free areas between them.
Urban Habitat
Defined by the following criteria:
- Population criterion: Categorized into urban municipalities, intermediate municipalities, and rural municipalities.
- Functional criterion: Cities specializing in industrial and service activities.
- Spatial continuity criterion: Reality that expands across the territory massively.
- Morphological criterion: Defined by a higher density of buildings compared to rural areas.
- Influence criterion: Urban areas have a projection and influence that go beyond their limits.
- Cultural criteria.
Morphology and Structure of the City
The structure of the city consists of the center, residential zones, and peripheries.
City Centers
- Old Town: The oldest part of the city, often containing historic buildings and remnants of walls (e.g., Salamanca, Cáceres). Some old centers are deteriorated (e.g., Badajoz) but are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
- Business Center (CBD): Located in the heart of the city, hosting financial activities and modern commercial buildings.
Residential Areas
These include residential neighborhoods and urbanizations. In some areas, street habitability is poor, though buildings are being rehabilitated. These are often found around the Old Town or in grid-patterned neighborhoods. Peripheries are located on the outskirts, where housing is often cheaper due to lower construction quality.