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Depopulation Processes in European Rural Areas: A Case Study of Cantabria (Spain)

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  • Viñas Carmen Delgado

    (Professor of Regional Geographical Analysis, Department of Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.)

Abstract

Europe witnessed massive migration away from rural areas throughout the 20th century. Spain was no exception to the rule, albeit with differences in timing and pace, and the population in Cantabria constitutes a paradigmatic case. Here, the rural exodus began early – before the mid-20th century – in some mountainous districts, but reached a peak in the 1960s and continued throughout the following decades. Since the 1990s, population levels in rural municipalities have fallen at a slower rate, while the population of the region as a whole has increased slightly. Disturbingly, the rural population has continued to decline in the early 21st century, in an overall context of almost zero population growth. The demographic trends analyzed here are not only different in time, but also in space. With the partial exception of regional capitals and their neighbouring communities, municipalities in mountain districts have witnessed such a substantial decline in their populations that they have experienced a genuine process of depopulation. This case does not explain the all-similar cases in rural Europe as a whole, but it can help in interpreting other comparable processes in different regions of southern Europe where depopulation reached its maximum in the second half of the 20th century and still continues today.

Suggested Citation

  • Viñas Carmen Delgado, 2019. "Depopulation Processes in European Rural Areas: A Case Study of Cantabria (Spain)," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 11(3), pages 341-369, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:vrs:eurcou:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:341-369:n:6
    DOI: 10.2478/euco-2019-0021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Biljana Mickovic & Dragica Mijanovic & Velibor Spalevic & Goran Skataric & Branislav Dudic, 2020. "Contribution to the Analysis of Depopulation in Rural Areas of the Balkans: Case Study of the Municipality of Niksic, Montenegro," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    3. Tamara Álvarez-Lorente & Francisco Entrena-Durán, 2021. "Potential for Sustainable Development in the Southeastern Spanish Region of Guadix," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-27, January.
    4. Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Cohard & Juan José Juste-Carrión & Antonio Vázquez-Barquero, 2021. "Challenges and Responses of Agri-Food Activities under COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Spanish Territories Producing Wine and Olive Oil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Ana Nieto Masot & Gema Cárdenas Alonso & Ángela Engelmo Moriche, 2020. "Design of a Development Index for Spanish Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-22, October.
    6. Qiqi Yin & Shenglu Zhou & Chengxiang Lv & Yang Zhang & Xueyan Sui & Xiaorui Wang, 2022. "Comprehensive Land Consolidation as a Tool to Promote Rural Restructuring in China: Theoretical Framework and Case Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Ana Nieto Masot & José Luis Gurría Gascón, 2021. "Sustainable Rural Development: Strategies, Good Practices and Opportunities," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-5, April.
    8. Nalin Wu & Erling Li & Yihan Su & Li Li & Li Wang, 2022. "Social Capital, Crop Specialization and Rural Industry Development—Taking the Grape Industry in Ningling County of China as an Example," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-22, July.
    9. Thomas Dax & Andrew Copus, 2022. "European Rural Demographic Strategies: Foreshadowing Post-Lisbon Rural Development Policy?," World, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-19, November.
    10. José María López-Sanz & Azucena Penelas-Leguía & Pablo Gutiérrez-Rodríguez & Pedro Cuesta-Valiño, 2021. "Sustainable Development and Rural Tourism in Depopulated Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.

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