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Spain is the fourth largest country in the European Union by population with more than 48 million people. Despite this, the vast majority of these people live either within the Madrid metropolitan area or within cities on the coast. This leaves a rather large ring in the middle of Spain with very few people relative to its size. So why does Spain have this "empty ring" at all?
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Spain, the fourth largest country in the European Union by population, is home to over 48 million
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people. Despite this, most of Spain's population is based either in Madrid or the coastal regions
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of the country, leaving this large empty ring in the middle with fewer than 8 million people
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So why don't more people live in Spain's empty ring? Welcome to another episode. Today we're off to explore the history
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geography, and population distribution of Spain. Because while Spain has a large population overall
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it has a rather large ring in the middle of the country with relatively few people compared to the rest of the country
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And we're going to explore why that might be in today's episode. But first, today's podcast is all about the Spanish language
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Similar to our episode on the geographic diffusion of the English language, Hunter and I dive deep to see how the Spanish language grew from the Iberian Peninsula
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to become the second most spoken language in the world behind only Mandarin
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You can listen right after this episode by clicking this link or check out the description below
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Like many European countries, Spain's history is incredibly deep. And thanks to some pretty rigorous record keeping
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by the Romans, we're able to trace the history of Spain back to the ancient era
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But prior to Rome taking over much of the modern day country, various peoples
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including native Iberians, Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and others called the area home
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And despite being thought of as a single unified nation today, Spain continues to mirror this eclectic history
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by being more of a confederation of different people under a single unified government
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The first inhabitants of Spain were likely the Iberians, followed by the Celts who mixed with the native population, resulting in a diverse cultural base
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Venetian and Greek settlements along the coast were later absorbed into the burgeoning Roman Empire
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which set the stage for Spain's Christianization. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths, a people thought to originate from southern Scandinavia
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gained control of the Iberian Peninsula, further intertwining the threads of Germanic and Latin influences
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In the early 700s, the Moors, Muslim warriors from North Africa, invaded and established a domain that would last nearly eight centuries
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The Islamic rule over the Iberian Peninsula brought advancements in science, philosophy
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and architecture, all things that the rest of mainland Europe suffered a lack of after
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the fall of the Roman Empire. However, this prolonged rule over the Iberian Peninsula by Islamic caliphates set the stage
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for the Reconquista, a series of campaigns by northern and eastern Christian kingdoms
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to reclaim the territory from the Moors. Arguably, the key moment in Spain's road to reunification came in 1469, with the marriage
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of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. This union led the consolidation of two of the
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most powerful Christian kingdoms on the peninsula. While the kingdoms retained separate laws and
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systems of governance, the alliance formed a strong base to complete the Reconquista in 1492
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with the capture of Grenada, the last Moorish stronghold. But the Reconquista wasn't merely
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a military campaign It had deep religious and cultural undertones leading to the conversion or expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain The establishment of the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 further consolidated Catholicism as the state religion Soon after the Reconquista
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Spain embarked on expeditions that led to the discovery of the New World. Under the rule of Catholic monarchs
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the country became one of the world's leading colonial powers, amassing vast territories in the Americas
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Despite its global reach, Spain was really a patchwork of regions, each with its own language, customs, and laws
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The Napoleonic invasion of the early 19th century served as a catalyst for nationalist movements
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and the establishment of a constitutional government. Regional identities remain strong, however, and are still very much a part of Spain's
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cultural fabric today. Spain's history of a dictatorship in the 20th century under Francisco Franco again raised
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questions about unity and identity. After Franco's death in 1975, Spain transitioned to a democracy and adopted a new constitution
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in 1978, recognizing the autonomy of its diverse regions. Spain is nothing if not a complicated country
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Its history spans a variety of different and eclectic cultures that create the country that we see today
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But before we explore the geography of Spain's empty ring, if you're enjoying this video, hit that subscribe button
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More fun geography videos are just a single click away. The geography of Spain's empty ring is a region marked by vast plains
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rugged mountain ranges, and intricate river systems. This area primarily includes the autonomous communities of Castilla y Leon
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Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Aragon, each contributing distinct geographic elements to the broader landscape of Spain
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The Meseda Central, a high plateau, dominates much of Castilla y Leon and Castilla-La Mancha
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This plateau is interrupted by several mountain ranges, including the Sistema Central and the Sistema Ibérico
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The elevation of the plateau varies between 400 and 1,000 meters, which has a direct influence on the climate and agricultural capacity of these regions
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The Meseda is characterized by arid or semi-arid conditions, making it a challenging place for extensive agriculture
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However, it's also a region of striking natural beauty, featuring landscapes that range from rolling plains to rugged hills
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Extremadura, to the southwest, is home to the Tagus River, Spain's longest river, and shares similar climatic and geographic features
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with its plateau-dominated neighbors. But it also has unique elements, like the Dehensa, a traditional agroforestry system that blends oaks and pastureland and supports a variety of plants and wildlife
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Aragon, on the other hand, features a more diverse geography. It's home to the central part of the Pyrenees mountain range, leading to a variety of landscapes that include alpine meadows, rugged peaks, and deeply carved valleys
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The Ebro River, one of Spain's most significant rivers, originates in this region and adds a
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different dynamic to its geography, carving valleys that provide fertile ground for agriculture
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Climate across these central regions is generally classified as continental Mediterranean, characterized by hot summers and cool winters. The high elevation of the Meseta and the surrounding
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mountain ranges adds temperature extremes that are otherwise not felt near the coast
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Water scarcity is a longstanding issue due to the unevenly distributed water resources
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and occasional drought conditions. This has led to the creation of man reservoirs and irrigation schemes to support agriculture which mainly includes crops like wheat barley grapes and olives Despite its harsh conditions and relative lack of large urban centers
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Spain's Empty Ring is a region that holds significant place in Spain's natural and cultural heritage
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And while it has plenty of natural beauty and a long history, this region of Spain stands out as having far fewer people overall than almost anywhere else in the country
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And this can be primarily attributed to one man, Francisco Franco. Spain's empty ring is, of course, not empty
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In fact, the entire area we're talking about today is home to about 7.7 million Spaniards
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But this is also an area that comprises over 50% of the country's landmass
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which makes it very underpopulated compared to Madrid or the coastal regions of Spain
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Madrid, by itself, is home to about 6.8 million people within the metro area
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The issue of depopulation in Spain's empty ring, particularly in regions such as Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Castilla y León
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is one that can be highly attributed to Spain's last dictator, Francisco Franco
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And while the geography and climate are undoubtedly significant factors as well, the policy decisions made during the era of Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975
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had a long-lasting impact that can still be felt today. These policies, aimed at diverting population and resources to Madrid and the coastal regions
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contributed significantly to the loft-sided development and population distribution within the country, which disproportionately left these central regions underdeveloped and sparsely
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populated. Francisco Franco sought to consolidate his regime's power and modernize the nation
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following the devastation of the Spanish Civil War. Central to his strategy was the focus on
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industrialization and urbanization, but these efforts were primarily directed at certain regions
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mainly Madrid as the capital and seat of power, and the coastal areas which offer trade and
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tourism potential. Franco's policies encouraged infrastructure development, foreign investment, and tourism in these selected areas, but often at the expense of the empty ring
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Madrid, as the political epicenter, attracted not just the political offices, but also businesses
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and educational institutions. The coastal areas, meanwhile, became hubs of tourism and maritime
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trade. Such concentrated investment had a ripple effect. People from rural areas and smaller towns
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including those in central Spain, migrated to Madrid and the coast in search of better
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economic opportunities. Young people, in particular, left their homes in central Spain
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to acquire education and skills that were increasingly available only in the large urban
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centers. This migration led to a brain drain that stripped central regions of potential leaders
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entrepreneurs, and skilled workers, weakening the local economies and social structures. Agriculture, which was already challenging due to the geography and climate of central Spain
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further suffered as the young workforce migrated. The arid conditions of the Meseta Central
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and the extremes of the continental climate did little to encourage younger generations
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to take up agriculture as a viable option. This led to a vicious cycle
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where the lack of economic opportunities prompted more people to leave, which in turn made it harder
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to develop any economic activity in the area. In the years that followed Franco's rule
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Spain transitioned into a democratic country with decentralized governance. However the trend set during the Franco era proved difficult to reverse Infrastructure industry and education remain centered around Madrid and the coastal or near cities of Barcelona Bilbao Valencia
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Mayaga, and Sevilla, perpetuating the economic disparities. Even as Spain entered the European
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Union and experienced significant economic growth, the inequality in development and population distribution remained a challenge
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Spain, comprising most of the Iberian Peninsula, is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy
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with Madrid as its capital and largest city. The country is divided into 17 autonomous communities, each with its own unique geography
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culture, and sometimes even its own language. These regions range from Catalonia and the Basque Country in the north, known for their
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strong regional identities, to Andalusia in the south, famous for its Moorish history
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and flamenco culture. Madrid, situated in the heart of the country, is not just the political capital, but also
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the largest city with a population of about 6.8 million people within the metro area
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It serves as Spain's economic and cultural hub, housing several world-class museums
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parks, and historic sites. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second largest city with a metropolitan population
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of around 5.5 million. Known for its unique architecture, such as Gaudí Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell, Barcelona
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has quickly become one of the most visited cities in the world. Valencia, located on the eastern
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coast, is the third largest city, with a population of over 2.5 million people in the metro region
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It's renowned for its city of arts and sciences, beautiful beaches, and as the home of the famous
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dish, paella. Seville, in the region of Andalusia, follows with a population of about 1.5 million
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people. Known for its rich Moorish history, flamenco dancing, and iconic landmarks such as
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Alcazar, and the Cathedral of Seville, it's a city that captures the essence of southern Spain
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Spain's northern regions such as Galicia, Asturias, and the Basque Country offer a contrasting
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landscape dominated by rugged coastlines, green mountains, and a cooler climate. Cities like
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Bilbao and San Sebastian in the Basque Country have smaller populations but are significant
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culturally and economically. Bilbao, with its famous Guggenheim Museum, has turned into a
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cultural hotspot, while San Sebastian is known for its culinary scene. Then, there's the Balearic
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and Canary Islands, which are autonomous communities and major tourist destinations. While not as populated as the mainland cities, islands like Mallorca, Ibiza, and Tenerife
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attract millions of tourists each year, boosting their economic significance. All told, over 48
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million people call Spain home today, making it the fourth largest country by population in the
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European Union, behind Germany, France, and Italy. Spain's empty ring is certainly tied to its
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physical geography, but more so than that, it's tied to its last dictator, Francisco Franco
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who made a very concerted effort to establish industry either in Madrid or along the coasts
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leaving very little for the central part of Spain, and that legacy has persisted well after his death
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I hope you enjoyed learning more about Spain's empty ring. If you did, please subscribe to my
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If you want to listen to the Spanish Language Podcast episode, you can click here
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And if you want to watch another episode of mine, check one out right here. Thanks for watching
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See you next time
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