Spanish Urbanization Trends: Industrial to Post-Industrial Eras

1. Industrial Urbanization (Mid-19th Century to 1975)

Since the beginning of industrialization in the mid-nineteenth century until the economic crisis of 1975, administrative and economic factors drove growth. Administrative factors included a new division of territory into provinces, while economic factors involved the birth and development of modern industry, which attracted the rural population to the cities.

Four Stages of Industrial Urbanization:

a) Until the Mid-Nineteenth Century

The concentration of the population in cities was weak. Industrialization was small, prevailing only in provincial capital cities.

b) Mid-Nineteenth Century to Civil War

The urbanization rate nearly doubled due to the growth of the largest industries.

c) Civil War and Aftermath

Growth slowed due to problems of deterioration and supply within cities. The Franco regime did not encourage urban growth; instead, land policy aimed to keep the rural population in the countryside. During this time, an urban-industrial development triangle began to form in the northeast (Cantabrian region, Barcelona, Madrid).

d) Development Stage (1960–1975)

This was the period of the largest economic and urban growth. The expansion of industry attracted labor from the countryside. Additionally, the baby boom phenomenon increased the urban population by 30%.

2. Post-Industrial Urbanization (Since 1975)

Since 1975, the process of urbanization has changed, with the pace of urban growth descending in two phases:

• First Transition: The urbanization rate stabilized.
• Second Phase (De-urbanization): A decrease in population occurred. Most Spanish cities are located in the first phase, while de-urbanization primarily affects the large metropolitan areas.

Changes in Urbanization Factors:

The industry became increasingly irrelevant as a factor of urbanization:

• The 1975 crisis led to industrial decline in industrial cities, and industrial production tends to disperse spatially.
• In regions with industrial tradition, industry remains a main factor of urbanization.
• New high-tech sectors are established in large metropolises, although they generate few jobs and lower urban growth.
• Tertiary activities are more important in the urbanization process, especially in large cities, tourist regions, and advanced lagging regions.

Urban Dispersion:

In the post-industrial stage, the growth of the largest cities slows down due to saturation and the current trend toward decentralization of economic activities. The result is the "dispersion of urbanization," which extends the city over increasingly large areas.