Spanish Population: Demographics, Immigration & Economy

Posted on Oct 12, 2024 in Geography

The Natural Movement of the Spanish Population

Natural Growth

The natural growth or population decrease of a place due to natural causes can be studied through various demographic rates. These stages are the old demographic regime, the demographic transition, and the modern demographic regime.

Old Demographic Regime (Until the Early 20th Century)

The old demographic regime remained in Spain until the early twentieth century. Births showed elevated levels due to two main causes:

  • The predominance of a rural economy and society in which children soon began to work assisting with fieldwork.
  • The absence of effective systems for birth control. The only option was to delay the age of marriage during economic crises.

Infectious diseases transmitted through water and food had a high incidence. High mortality was compounded by catastrophic mortality caused by epidemics and wars. Life expectancy was low because of high infant mortality. As a result, the natural growth was low.

The Demographic Transition (1900-1975)

In contrast to other European countries, the demographic transition in Spain started later but lasted less and was more intense. The birth rate decreased smoothly and discontinuously. In the 1920s, the decrease in births was recovered between 1930 and 1956. The decline resumed due to several causes:

  • The 1929 economic crisis caused the exile of thousands of people and serious economic difficulties, along with an international blockade.
  • Between 1956-1965, there was a recovery of births known as the baby boom.
  • Between 1965 and 1975, births declined again due to smaller family sizes and an increased standard of living reflected in improved diets and medical advances, such as vaccines and antibiotics.

Infant mortality decreased, especially postneonatal mortality caused by infections and malnutrition. As a result, the natural growth during the transition regime was high.

Modern Demographic Regime (From 1975)

There was a sharp decline in births. The causes were:

  • The economic situation delayed the age of marriage due to job insecurity and high housing costs.
  • Spanish society changed in attitude and values. The transition contributed to the decrease in births, and religious influence diminished.
  • Women increasingly joined the workforce outside the home.
  • Reproductive health and childcare gained prominence.

Since 1998, there has been a slight recovery in births due to immigration and a higher birth rate among immigrants. Mortality is maintained at low figures, although the mortality rate has risen since 1982. Infant mortality is now much lower and mainly neonatal. Life expectancy has increased thanks to advances in medicine. Life expectancy is higher for women than men, who have traditionally had different lifestyles. The greatest gains in life expectancy are recorded in the elderly population. The emergence and spread of AIDS and drug addiction have impacted mortality, but there have been improvements in reducing accidents.

Immigration

Features of Foreign Immigration

Within foreign immigration, there are differences between nationalized foreigners, legal immigrants who obtained a residence permit, and illegal immigrants. Spain is influenced by various reasons, including an insufficiently covered national labor force. The proximity of Spain to Africa makes it the main entry point for immigrants.

The main cases of allowed return of migrants are:

  • Community immigrants: Retirees with medium-high living standards.
  • Extra-community immigrants: Young people who go to Spain for economic or political reasons.

Consequences of Immigration

  • Demographic consequences: Immigrants have contributed significantly to population growth.
  • Economic consequences: Immigration provides a workforce that performs the hardest tasks and contributes to GDP growth. However, immigration is related to some problems such as a potential loss of competitiveness.
  • Social consequences: Xenophobic or racist attitudes have emerged among some sectors who consider immigration an invasion. Many immigrants suffer harsh working conditions and poor living conditions.

Spanish Immigration Policy

Spanish immigration policy is made up of asylum policy and a policy on immigration. The policy on asylum involves the creation of a common asylum system and cooperation of member countries against illegal immigration. The immigration law governs all aspects of immigration. Major measures are:

  • Partnership with countries of origin.
  • The management of migratory flows.
  • The momentum of integration.

The Real Growth of the Population

The real growth of the population is obtained by adding natural growth and net migration.

The Structure of the Spanish Population

Sex Structure

The sex structure is the relationship between the number of men and women that make up a population. It is measured by rates of masculinity or femininity. Factors influencing the sex structure include births (always a greater number of male children) and mortality (in Spain, these factors are dominated by men because of their numerical superiority at birth).

Age Structure

The age structure is the composition of the population by age group: young, adult, and elderly. It is measured by calculating the rates of youth, adulthood, and old age. Factors influencing the age structure include the birth rate (influences the number of young people) and life expectancy.

In Spain, the causes of aging are:

  • The strong decline in birth rates, which has reduced the number of young people.
  • Increased life expectancy.

Communities with large percentages of young people are those that show relatively high birth rates. Aging communities are mostly those that in the past were greatly affected by emigration.

The effects of aging are:

  • Economic slowdown.
  • Rising pension expenditure, the funding of which does not depend on the contributions of the economically active population.

The Economic Structure of the Population

Active Population

The active population includes the population that works in exchange for a fee and that is actively seeking employment. The inactive population is that which does not perform gainfully employed work or is not available to fill it. The factors that influence demographic rates are the percentage of young people and the prevalence of emigration.

Activity Rate

Changes in the activity rate in Spain have gone through different stages:

  • The activity rate declined due to emigration and the increase in the dependency rate.
  • The rising rate of young people has had to be delayed until the minimum age of 16.
  • Since 1991, the activity rate has experienced strong growth due to economic prosperity following the end of the 1990-1995 crisis, which encouraged hidden employment.

The activity rate has variations depending on gender:

  • The male rate declined due to early retirement and migration caused by the 1975 crisis.
  • The female rate increased in the 1970s.
  • In functional age, the activity rate decreases.

According to the territory, activity rates are higher in communities with the greatest economic dynamism.

Unemployment Rate

The evolution of the unemployment rate has gone through several stages:

  • Until 1973, there was a serious problem because the population pressure on the labor market was solved by emigration.
  • Between 1985 and 1995, there were two stages: a slight decrease and an increase between 1990/95 due to the crisis of that year.
  • Currently, the unemployment figures are due to the increase in productivity, which has raised the number of unemployed again.

Sectors of the Economy

The development of these sectors in Spain are:

  • The primary sector: Includes activities devoted to the extraction of raw materials, agriculture, livestock, etc. During the civil war and the postwar period, recovery remained focused on the countryside due to food and employment difficulties existing in the cities.
  • The secondary sector: Includes activities for the processing of raw materials. Since 1975, the active population in this sector has declined. Industries that use modern technologies require fewer labor forces.
  • The tertiary sector: Includes activities that provide transport, services, trade, etc. The changes in other economic sectors have benefited the tertiary sector, with increased public services, the creation of the regional administration, and the growing incorporation of women into work outside the home, mostly performed in this sector.