Population Dynamics and Urbanism: Key Concepts

Population Dynamics

Vegetative Growth

The difference between birth and mortality rates. Various metrics measure factors related to the natural movement of a population.

Population Density

The relationship between the number of inhabitants and the surface area (in square kilometers) they occupy.

Labor Force

The group of people aged 16 and over who are available to supply labor for the production of goods and services and are actively seeking employment.

Unemployment Rate

The percentage of the workforce that is unemployed relative to the total active population.

Migration

The movement of a population in space; the departure of people from their place of origin.

Immigration

A movement of population; the arrival of people at their destination.

Internal Migration

Developed between the last third of the 19th century and the economic crisis of 1975. Often featuring peasants heading for work in other agricultural areas and large industrial zones.

External Migration

Occurred since the 1975 crisis, initiating a new immigration system with very different characteristics: the source was urban municipalities and Mediterranean countries, and the target was the Ebro valley.

Rural Depopulation

Took place between 1900 and 1975, involving permanent or long-term migration between rural and urban areas, coming from less developed areas of Galicia and the interior of the peninsula.

Migration Balance

The balance between immigration and emigration (Migration Balance = Immigration - Emigration). A positive balance indicates net immigration, while a negative balance indicates net emigration.

Urbanism

Definition of Urbanism

The discipline of study that focuses on cities, encompassing both theoretical and practical urban approaches.

Urban Structure

The division of a city into areas with distinct morphologies and characteristic functions. The modern Spanish city has a complex structure.

Urban Morphology

The external appearance of a city, influenced by its location and urban condition, resulting from a combination of layout, construction, and land use.

Urban System

Cities constitute a system, the urban network, which plays a leading role in the organization of space. The system consists of a few key elements (towns) and the relationships established between them.

Chabolismo (Shanty Towns)

Residential neighborhoods on the periphery that arise on illegally occupied land without proper urban planning. These self-built homes often have serious material deficiencies and lack basic services (water, electricity, etc.).

Metropolitan Area

Urban sprawl surrounding a major city, administratively encompassing several towns with interconnected economic and social relationships.

Widening (Urban Expansion)

The attempt to respond to the growth of cities in accordance with the interests of the bourgeoisie, often involving the demolition of city walls.

Conurbation

A continuous urban area formed by the parallel growth of two or more cities that eventually join. Each city maintains its independence, and the fusion factor is usually a traffic hub (e.g., Malaga and Marbella).