Basic services and territory: constraints and rural exodus in the sotheastern quadrant of Spain

Abstract

Since the middle of the last century, Spain's rural areas have experienced an unprecedented process of depopulation. To a greater or lesser extent, this phenomenon can be seen in different areas of the country. However, its manifestation is much more vigorous in the northern half of Spain than in the southern half. However, there are certain geographical areas located in the south which have suffered a very marked demographic regression. This is the case of the regions that make up the interprovincial node in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Among the factors which, to a greaterextent, favourdepopulation, thedisappearance/absence of basic services stands out. The main objective of this work is to evaluate both the current supply of different essential public services (health or education) and private services (banks or broadband coverage), as well as their evolution, accessibility, maintenance and influence as a cause or consequence of the demographic decline suffered by the counties that make up the geographical area in question. The methodology used is based on the processing of information from official sources, such as the INE, Bank of Spain, or different ministries (Digital Transformation; Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge; Territorial Policy and Public Function; Education, Vocational Training and Sports; etc.). The results show the lack of basic services and their correlation with the rural exodus.