Spain's Service Economy Growth and Mountain Landscape Use
The Agricultural Landscape of Mountain Regions
This landscape features high altitude relief, steep slopes, and a climate characterized by cold winters and abundant precipitation.
Agrarian Structure Characteristics
The agrarian structure is characterized by:
Population and Property: A very low population density, a trend toward depopulation, and traditionally dispersed settlements. Small, predominant property with bounded plots.
Diverse Land Uses: Land uses are diverse, graduated according to different climatic conditions:
- Agriculture in the valley bottom.
- Forest exploitation and livestock sheds in the forest areas.
- Shrubs and grasses in the peaks.
Agricultural Practices:
- Agriculture in the mountains north of the peninsula is practiced in the bottom of the valleys and includes orchard crops.
- In mountains such as the thermal Levante and the South, some crops are grown on terraced slopes and terraces.
Livestock and Forestry: The extensive livestock farming regimen primarily involves cattle and sheep, utilizing forest clearings on the slopes. Logging use focuses on fuel wood and timber species.
Tertiarization of the Spanish Economy
The tertiary sector consists of the set of activities designed to provide services to society. It is a sector that includes activities that are neither primary nor secondary.
Its significant growth since the 1960s has led to the tertiarization of the Spanish economy, which is reflected in the provision of services to GDP (in 2004, approximately 64.5%).
Causes of Tertiary Sector Growth
The causes of the growth of the tertiary sector were as follows:
Increased Standard of Living: The increased level of life (family income and purchasing power) allows for greater consumption of services and demands that are becoming more numerous and specialized.
Industrial Development and Outsourcing: Industry has facilitated the process of outsourcing. Industrial development in the 1960s boosted the growth of services such as transport and finance. Modern industry uses new technologies that are increasingly demanding specialized labor and many services.
The Tourism Boom: The tourism boom has contributed to the growth of services such as catering, trade, transport, banking, and related entertainment.
Expansion of Public Services: The increase of public services, due to the creation of regional and European administrations and the introduction of the welfare state, has stimulated the growth of services such as health and education.
Women's Incorporation into the Workforce: The increasing incorporation of women into the workforce is done primarily in this sector and has led to the development of certain services, such as childcare.