Demographic Trends in Spain: Natural Growth and Migration

Posted on May 10, 2024 in Geography

Demographic Trends in Spain

1. Natural Growth in Absolute Numbers

Natural Growth = Births – Deaths

Rate of natural increase = birth rate% -% mortality rate

1. The Demographic Regimes

The evolution of the natural movement of the Spanish population is distinguished by various stages or demographic regimes. These stages are the old demographic regime, the demographic transition, and the modern demographic regime. The transition between each stage has been later than in other European countries.

a) The Old Demographic Regime: Until the Early Twentieth Century
  • The birth rate was elevated. The causes are as follows:
    • The predominance of a rural economy and society.
    • The absence of effective systems to control births.
  • The overall mortality was high and oscillating.
    • The diet was scarce and infectious diseases were widespread.
    • Mortality was unbalanced, often caused by epidemics, wars, and bad harvests.
    • Infant mortality also showed high values, both neonatal (first 4 weeks), due to birth defects and problems in childbirth, as well as post-neonatal (between 4 weeks and one year) from infections and malnutrition.
  • As a result of high birth and death rates, natural growth was low.
b) The Demographic Transition: 1900-1975
  • A gentle decrease in the birth rate, a sharp decline in mortality, and, consequently, a high natural growth rate.
  • The decrease in birth rate was smooth and discontinuous, alternating with periods of recovery.
    • In the 1920s, economic prosperity allowed a recovery in the birth rate.
    • Between 1930 and 1956, the birth rate resumed its decline due to the economic crisis of the Civil War (1936-1939).
    • From 1956 to 1965, there was a recovery of the birth rate.
    • Between 1965 and 1975, there was a reduction in the size of the average family.
  • The overall mortality decreased markedly and constantly.
    • Health and medical progress, with antibiotics, birth clinics, and improving public and private hygiene.
    • The increase in living standards.
    • The increase in educational and cultural level.
  • As a result, the natural growth during the transition was high.
c) The Current Demographic Regime: From 1975 Onwards
  • The current birth rate is sinking. The causes of the low birth rate are:
    • The economic situation that followed the 1975 crisis, the precariousness of labor contracts, and the high purchase price and rental cost of housing.
    • Shortage of jobs and affordable childcare.
    • The change of mind regarding family size, the reduced influence of religion, birth control, the decriminalization of abortion, and the incorporation of women into the workforce.
    • Rising living standards and cultural level have changed the valuation of children.
  • The mortality rate remains at low levels since 1981 but experienced a slight increase due to the aging of the population.
    • The causes of mortality have changed and infant mortality has also decreased.
    • By sex, life expectancy is higher for women due to biological and sociocultural reasons.
    • Among professions, mortality is higher the lower the qualification and social level.
  • The natural growth level is currently very small, as a result of low birth and mortality rates.

2. Territorial Imbalances in the Natural Population Movement

  • The development gap and economic differences between autonomous regions have resulted in different birth behaviors.
  • Autonomous regions with higher birth rates than the average are those with a younger population, lower death rates, and positive natural growth.
  • Autonomous communities with birth rates below the average are those with an aging population, often due to having been previously affected by high emigration.

4. Migratory Movements

Migration is the movement of people in space. Emigration is the leaving of the population and immigration is the arrival of people to a place.

The migratory balance is the balance between immigration and emigration (Net Migration = Immigration – Emigration).

1. Internal Migration: Until 1975


A. The traditional internal migration:
They develop between the last third of the nineteenth century and the economic crisis 1975.Las seasonal and temporary migration to other rural areas for agricultural work (mowing, harvest, harvesting olives) to the city for temporary tasks agrarias.El no exodus rural. It is a migration between rural and urban permanent or long duración.Se went first to the industrial areas of Catalonia, the Basque Country and Madrid, and later also to the areas rural exodus turísticas.Desde 1975 the internal migration decayó.Las Current: migration have been expressed within their own province or municipal level autónoma.En community, large industrialized cities, attractiveness have asked for medium or pequeños.Las causes of migration and the profile of migrants diversos.buscan homes are ms medioambiental.b cheaper or better quality) The labor migration to the most dynamic economic centers of their own province or autonomous region, or country. In other cases, it is the services sector skilled workers move to large businesses terciaria.c) Migration from rural return migrants to represent ancient partirde the 1980s reach jubilación.d) the normal movements population are regular trips for work and leisure: OEL work causes swings between place of residence and leisure trabajo.oEl provoke movements of weekend and internal migration turismo.B.Consecuencias: Emptying the interior and high densities in the periphery. The aging of the population remaining in the field and the rejuvenation of the population declined economically urbananoEn productivity and performance. or in the social sphere, there were problems of assimilation. The integration is not produced, in general, to the generationón siguiente.oEn the environmental aspect, deteriorated traditional ecosystems, particularly mountain. In large cities created problems of internal migration current contaminación.Las also have prominent consequences oLas cause superannuation residential migration from urban areas radio stations, increases in population in the peripheries, which require allocations of equipment and services. or augment labor migration conomic and demographic imbalances within the provinces and communities autónomas.oLas rural return migration, creation of business or new activities, neorrurales young couples with children can have an impact related swings positiva.oLos work causing traffic problems.

External Migration: Is the movement of people beyond the borders of the country. Until 1975 Spain was a country of emigration and thereafter EspaNa becomes immigration country A. The first stage of TransoceánicaLa Emigration boom extends from mid-nineteenth century until the First World War (1914). At this stage most of the emigrants was of Source Atlantic (Galicia, Asturias and the Canary Islands) and their main destination was in Argentina (pampas activities), Cuba (agriculture) and Brazil (coffee). It was a migration caused by (backward areas, smallholders and high population density). The profile of emigrants was a boy, devoted to agriculture and low calificación.La transoceanic emigration declined between the two world wars (1914-1945). The causes were the insecurity created by siguientesoLa War MundiaoLa economic crisis 1929La Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and posguerraEntre 1945 and 1960 overseas stream recovered but still below the figures of early nineteenth century. Regarding the origin of migrants, Galicia, remained the regiprimary ion, followed by Canarias. Destination Venezuela followed by Argentina and Brazil. The profile of migrant change since the South American countries overcome the crisis of the 30s and the benefits accrued from sales to belligerents during the Second World War Since 1960, overseas migration dropped, to enter into competition with migration to EuropaB . EuropaHasta Emigration to mid-twentieth century went to France mainly seasonal farmers, construction workers and housekeepers for political refugees CivilEl War period between 1950 and 1973 had the greatest boom in migration to Europe by European part of the rapid economic reconstruction after World War II favored a wide range of Spanish empleooPor part, emigration was stimulated by strong growth demografito, the surplus agricultural population because of the mechanization of the field, inadequate industrialization absorb the increase in unemployment caused due to the Stabilization Planion. The migrants came from Andalusia and Galicia and its destination were France, Germany and Switzerland. The profile of these emigrants was the low-skilled men to play (but hard work, dangerous and poorly paid) From 1973 or permanent emigration to Europe declined. The energy crisis caused unemployment in Western Europe and did reduce the recruitment of labor migrants so many regresaronC The consequences of migration exterioresLas demographic consequences were manifested in the attrition of population and distribution consequences economic were positive on the one hand, it relieves the strong natural growth and unemployment, but there were also negative consequences because many savings are not invested in productive assets or did not favor the trappings of departure of the social consequences were emigrantesLas roodessness, the painful living conditions. Besides the migrants were primarily affected by layoffs