SPAIN´S POPULATION

Spain´s population is unevenly distributed because of historical, socioeconomic and geographical factors. With regard to history, in the 19th century there was an important population growth and the coastal and industrial areas were the most attractive places in which people moved. Afterwards, between 1960 and 1970 there was a rural depopulation that also affected coastal regions because of an increase in unemployment. As a proof we can see the difference in the population density, where cities like Madrid exceed 650 inhabitants per square kilometre whereas in the rural areas it is less than 50. In the end of the 20th century, the countryside modernisated but on the other hand, some areas stabilized a huge population like Madrid, the Canary Islands, Andalusia or the Mediterranean coast. This unevenly distribution is also caused by geographical factors such as the human tendency of living near the sea and in temperate climates. Moreover, socioeconomic reasons also affect the population distribution because people is usually more atracted to industrial areas with more job opportunities. By observing the graph below we can see that the most populated areas are Andalusia, Community of Madrid, Catalonia or the Community of Valencia gathering more or less the 60 percent of Spain´s population.