Spanish Industrial Geography and Development Patterns

Developed Industrial Areas and Central Spaces

Developed industrial areas are central metropolitan spaces (Madrid, Barcelona). They experience subsidence or reconversion of important mature industrial sectors. Revitalization has occurred since 1985, as the advantages of their central location attract the most innovative businesses and social venues to Madrid and Barcelona.

Expanding Industrial Hubs

These areas are categorized into four main types:

1. The Metropolitan Crowns

   This involves the diffusion or relocation of traditional industries away from the central area, stimulated by the revaluation of the land they occupy for other uses. Localization often occurs in industrial parks designed to attract innovative companies.

2. The Suburban Fringes

   These areas locate small businesses with low capitalization, dedicated to production that is unskilled labor intensive, subcontracting work, or exploiting surrounding resources. They operate within a more flexible market. The typical typology consists of attached industrial units.

3. Industrial Development Axes

   The main national axes are the Ebro Valley and the Mediterranean. A motorway network connects these axes to the principal national centers and Southern Europe, attracting both national and multinational industries.

   At the regional and district level, other axes have developed, such as a network around Madrid and secondary axes in the interior regions, often following major roads.

4. Rural Areas

   These areas host small businesses requiring low investment, low technology, and low qualification professionals. They sometimes also attract innovative companies.

Declining Industrial Axes and Crisis Zones

These areas include Asturias, Cantabria, and other isolated centers. They are specialized areas in mature industrial sectors currently in crisis, often lacking industrial diversification necessary to create alternative employment.

• They are dominated by big business and large factories.
• The labor market requires medium or low qualifications.
• The environment suffers deterioration due to old basic industries, which are often highly polluting.
• Joining the European Union (EU) has exacerbated this situation.

Induced and Low Industrialization Areas

This category includes two sub-types:

Induced Industrialized Areas

Areas such as León, Andalusia, and Aragón. Since the 1960s, they have been promoting industry initiatives that are often incapable of relating to other economic links, thus generating clear territorial imbalances.

Areas of Low Industrialization

These include Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, primarily due to their uncompetitive location. They are dominated by traditional sectors with low added value, consisting of medium and small enterprises, which are low-competitive.