Population and Demographics
Is Greater Life Expectancy, Female Workforce Participation, and Welfare State Development Responsible for Tertiary Sector Growth in Developed Countries?
Yes, since the 1940s, increased life expectancy has created more demand for services for senior citizens. The incorporation of women into the labor force has created a need for more childcare and services/products that reduce housework. The development of the welfare state led to the growth and consolidation of social services.
Migration Flows
Migration is the set of journeys made by people from one place to another that involve a change of residence, either within the same country (internal migration) or between different countries (external migration).
- Net migration: Number of immigrants (I) – number of emigrants (E)
- Natural increase: Birth rate – mortality rate
- Population growth: Natural increase + net immigration (I-E), in absolute numbers
Population Pyramid
A population pyramid is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups and sexes in a population at a particular time. The outlines of the pyramid show different country population types:
- Expanding pyramid: Has a broad base and narrows steadily as it goes up, indicating a young population.
- Stationary pyramid: Shaped like a bell, with a wide base, wider body, and quite a narrow top, indicating a high percentage of adults.
- Contracting pyramid: Shaped like a lightbulb, with a narrow base, a wide body, and a quite flat top, indicating an aging population.
The Population of Spain
Population Registers
The first population calculations were made in the Middle Ages, but until the mid-nineteenth century, this information is not considered reliable.
- The census: Records the number of people living in each home and their economic, social, and cultural characteristics. It is elaborated by the state every 10 years.
- The municipal census: Shows the variation of the population of the municipalities. It is done by the municipalities.
- The civil register: Records births, deaths, marriages, etc.
Spanish Population
On July 1, 2021, Spain had an official population of 47,326,687 inhabitants (the previous maximum population density was in 2011 with 47,190,493). Taking into account population density, Spain is sparsely populated compared to our European neighbors.
The Population of Spain: Distribution and Density
Population distribution: In the sixteenth century, the most densely populated areas were located in the center and north of the peninsula. In the late nineteenth century, except for Madrid, coastal and island regions recorded the highest densities. Throughout the twentieth century, these demographic imbalances worsened. At present, the Spanish population is concentrated in Madrid, the Mediterranean coast, Andalusia, and the Cantabria coast.
General distribution: Four communities (Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, and Valencia), occupying only 15% of the territory, account for 60% of the Spanish population. By contrast, four communities (Castilla y Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, Aragon, and Extremadura), which comprise 52% of the territory, are home to only 15% of the population.
Density: Apart from Ceuta and Melilla, Madrid is the most densely populated community, and Castilla La Mancha has the lowest density. The Spanish average is 92.2, exceeding Madrid, Catalonia, Basque Country, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and Canary Islands, still below the two Castillas, Aragon, Extremadura, La Rioja, and Navarra.
The Spanish Demographic Structure
The young population: The base of the pyramid, those for young people (0-14 years), the steps are very narrow due to a sharp decline in the number of births in recent years. At birth, more men are born than women, about 105 per 100.
The adult population: The trunk, the central part of the pyramid, represents the adult population (15-65 years). The number of people appearing in these intermediate steps is high. They maintain young people who do not work and older retirees.
The elderly: These steps show an important development in width and height. The rate of aging of a population is the percentage of people aged 65 years and over. In Spain, this index exceeds 18%.
The Population and Work
The economically active population: Includes the employed population and those who are unemployed or looking for their first job. In Spain, the economically active population represents almost 60% of the population of working age; it continues to be larger in the case of men than women.
The economically inactive population: Spain has very high unemployment rates. The Labour Force Survey (LFS or EPA in Spanish) shows an unemployment rate of around 9%. This distribution of unemployment in Spain is not the same in all the Autonomous Communities. The Spanish labor market has various problems:
- The youth unemployment rate is among the highest in Europe.
- Long-term unemployment: These are the unemployed who have been at least one year without working.
- Unequal wages by sex, age, and among those who work full and part-time.
Dynamics and Population Trends
Birth rate: The number of births in Spain is very low. The birth rate is only 7.19%. To achieve generational replacement, an average of 2.1 children per woman is needed. The average fertility rate in 2019 was 1.19 children per woman. The causes of this are diverse:
- Economic
- The desire to have fewer children (sociological change)
- Reducing the number of women of childbearing age by the arrival of fewer generations
- The high average age at which women have their first child, around 32 years
Mortality rate: In Spain, life expectancy is very high. A newborn statistically has the chance to live more than 80 years, one of the highest in Europe. In 2019, it was 8.83%.
Evolution of Population in More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs)
Demographic Stability
Until the 17th century, the world’s population increased very little due to a high infant death rate, limited food supplies, famine, disease, and war.
Population Increase
In the middle of the 18th century, the death rate decreased, and the population began to grow. Famine became less common as agricultural production increased with the use of machinery. Improvements in hygiene, such as rubbish collection and the use of soap, also reduced death rates.
Decrease in Birth Rates
In the 20th century, the death rate continued to fall because of advances in medicine, such as vaccinations. At the same time, the birth rate fell due to factors such as an increase in the number of women working and access to birth control.
ess to birth control.