Settlement Patterns and Rural Population Dynamics in Spain

Understanding Settlements

Settlement and Spatial Planning

Settlement refers to how human settlements and places of residence are located. If less than a quarter of the population is engaged in the primary sector, the settlement is classified as semi-urban. These elements determine the management of a territory and define its settlement system.

Types of Traditional Rural Settlements

The concentration of the rural population varies depending on the climate and the type of farming and ranching practices.

• Isolated Settlements

  Houses are isolated from each other, separated by cultivated land, and are far apart.

• Dispersed Settlements

  These are population centers with few houses situated around a central core.

• Concentrated Settlements

  Houses are grouped together, forming compact nuclei, usually found near rivers.

Factors Determining Population Distribution

Natural Factors:

• Topography: Influences the existence of farms, sometimes leading to monoculture.
• Water Availability: Conditions the presence of settlements, which are commonly found in river valleys.

Human Factors:

• Defense: Important in areas with security concerns.
• Exploitation and Property Forms: In Spain, dry farming predominantly leads to concentrated settlements.

Morphology of Villages

• Regular Layouts

  These villages are created according to a set plan, following a designed path, often orthogonal, as seen in Carolina (Jaén).

• Irregular Layouts

  The layout does not follow any specific planning and evolves organically over time. Types include:

  • Radial: Common in plains, structures radiate from a central point, such as a town square.
  • Linear: Structures align along a main street or road.

Rural Housing Characteristics

In farming areas, the ground floor often combines living space with stables and areas for agricultural activities, such as wineries. Housing can be classified based on construction materials:

• Stone Houses: Abundant throughout northern Spain.
• Wooden Houses: Rare now, but can still be found in parts of the Basque Country.
• Mud Houses (Adobe): Built with sun-dried raw clay, found in Murcia and Valencia.
• Primitive Houses: Tend to be primarily functional.

Evolution of Population Distribution in Spain

In the twentieth century, Spain transitioned from a predominantly rural society to an urban one. During this period, a significant rural exodus occurred, leading to the depopulation of the countryside as people moved to cities. This depopulation caused stagnation or regression in rural housing construction.