Population dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic

Eduardo Gutiérrez Chacón, Enrique Moral-Benito () and Roberto Ramos
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Enrique Moral-Benito: Banco de España

No 2206, Occasional Papers from Banco de España

Abstract: The year 2020 was marked by net migration dynamics in Spain that resulted in an increase in the rural population at the expense of the urban population, interrupting the secular trend towards greater urbanisation prevailing since the middle of the last century. According to the findings of this paper, the demographic momentum of rural areas was attributable both to higher population inflows from elsewhere in the country and, in particular, to a slowdown in outflows from rural areas. In addition, a regression analysis shows that the demographic dynamics during the rural exodus (1950-1990), the percentage of second homes and accessibility to services, both physical and digital, are explanatory factors when characterising municipal-level population changes during the pandemic. 2020 represents a unique period, marked by strict restrictions on movement and on activity, along with stringent social distancing measures. This setting, along with the modest levels of remote working, raise significant doubts and uncertainty as to the extent to which the slowdown in urbanisation observed in that year will continue over a longer time horizon.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; population; migrations; Spanish municipalities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J11 R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2022-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-mig and nep-ure
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https://www.bde.es/f/webbde/SES/Secciones/Publicac ... 22/Files/do2206e.pdf First version, March 2022 (application/pdf)
https://www.bde.es/f/webbde/SES/Secciones/Publicac ... s/22/Fich/do2206.pdf Spanish version (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bde:opaper:2206e

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