Understanding Urban and Rural Settlement Patterns in Catalonia

Chart Types: Linear, bars, pyramids, and sector bars.
Types of Maps:

• City maps
• Quantitative maps (numerical values to express different information)
• Choropleth maps (areas with colors or patterns)
• Cartograms (with table values)

Physical Geography: Reliefs. Political Geography: The counties. Source: Year, topic.

It is not easy to define the concept of a city; there are various criteria to define a city that we must consider, as there are no separate criteria.

Criteria:

• Density and Continuity: A very small space where people live. Density: Number of inhabitants per unit area.
• Economic Activity Criteria: Most of the population works in the primary sector, while others work in secondary and tertiary sectors. The organization and territorial influence of cities are preserved if they host many activities that are centers of power, leading to significant flows of influence. The more activities, the greater the influence.
• Architecture and Urbanism: In cities dominated by tall buildings, the streets are very wide, while in towns, the streets are narrow, with broader and older buildings.
• Life Style: Cities are more tolerant and offer a more anonymous lifestyle.
• Concentration of Functions: Cities concentrate more functions.

Spatial Distribution in the Territory:

• Rural Areas: Core concentration (rural concentrated), where houses are scattered in smaller towns (sparse rural towns). People are primarily devoted to the primary sector.
• Rururban Spaces: Areas that were once rural villages have begun to emerge, mixing with industrial fields.
• Urban Spaces: This forms the core of the city, where the greatest proportion of the population resides.
• Suburban Areas: Located outside the city but well connected. The style of urban life is similar, with the only difference being that this area predominantly features peri-urban settlements and services.
• Peri-Urban Areas: Where large supermarkets and similar establishments are located.

Different Types of Settlement in Catalonia: Rural settlements are predominantly concentrated in the south and west of Catalonia, while scattered rural populations are more common in the north and east. Towns have seen recent development, closely linked to the processes of outsourcing and industrialization. Rururban areas have grown significantly in recent years. Notably, there exists a region around metropolitan cities in Catalonia with more than 200,000 inhabitants (Hospitalet, Badalona, Sabadell, Terrassa). Based on 2007 data, 80% of the population lives in cities in Catalonia with over 100,000 inhabitants. Among municipalities, 15% had populations of 10,000 in 2000, and 5% had fewer than 2,000 inhabitants.