Demographic Historical Series. Degree of Urbanisation. 1950-1960

The percentage of the population living in urban centres increased (from 57.1% in 1950 to 62.1% in 1960) whereas that of rural areas decreased (from 26.4% to 20.5%).

Idescat is incorporating population data by degree of urbanisation into the Demographic Historical Series, corresponding to the Population Census of 1950 and 1960. Information is provided on the degree of urbanisation in relation to sex, age, marital status, citizenship, place of birth, level of education, relation to economic activity and the fertility of the female population. The results are available for Catalonia and provinces.

If the figures for 1950 and 1960 are compared with the results of the 1970 degree of urbanisation publication, a shift of the population living in rural areas towards urban centres is observed.

The percentage of the population living in urban centres was 57.1% in 1950, 62.1% in 1960 and 71.9% in 1970. Regarding towns and semi-dense areas, 16.5% of the population resided there in 1950, 17.4% in 1960 and 15.6% in 1970. In rural areas, 26.4% of the population lived there in 1950, 20.5% in 1960 and 12.5% in 1970.

By province, Barcelona is the one that concentrated the most population in urban centres, with 74.7% in 1950, 77.1% in 1960 and 84.9% in 1970. In contrast, Lleida is the province where the most population lived in rural areas, with 63.0% in 1950, 55.7% in 1960 and 44.0% in 1970. Tarragona is the province where the most population resided in semi-dense areas, with 28.0% in 1950, 30.2% in 1960 and 37.3% in 1970.