Analysis of recent trends in Spanish rural depopulation

Rural areas in Spain are experiencing growing environmental and social changes, including depopulation. This article presents a systematic review of academic literature to examine why rural depopulation has taken place in Spain after rural exodus, since 1975, the consequences of such processes and a...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Maeztu Redín, Cara
Tipo de recurso: tesis de maestría
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:258731
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/258731
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Depopulation
Rural
Spain
Land abandonment
Demography
Descripción
Sumario:Rural areas in Spain are experiencing growing environmental and social changes, including depopulation. This article presents a systematic review of academic literature to examine why rural depopulation has taken place in Spain after rural exodus, since 1975, the consequences of such processes and any existing interactions between both causes and consequences. The analysis shows the complexity of the interactions between depopulation causes and consequences, and how they affect each other. The principal causes of rural depopulation include: Change in natural population balance compared to past depopulation rates, limited access to infrastructure and services or agricultural intensification while the principal consequences are: Decrease on or displacement of traditional resource management practices, ageing population and landscape changes. Understanding the multiple dimensions and impacts of depopulation is paramount to devise policies that can enhance wellbeing and promote the sustainable development of rural areas.