In Spain, people think quite differently than in many other countries when it comes to municipalities and local government. For instance, the municipal reform in Norway, which began in 2014 merged 119 municipalities into 47 new and larger units. The total number of municipalities in Norway, a country about 75% the size of Spain but with only 5.3 million people, is currently 356. The reason provided by the authorities for these mergers is that larger municipalities provide “better welfare services, a more sustainable societal development and stronger local self-government.” In the same period, from 2014 to 2020, the number of municipalities in Spain has actually increased to 8,131. Spain sees municipalities that are close to its population and have extensive autonomy as a buffer against the reintroduction of dictatorship. Take a look below at some of the key data from Spain and the Scandinavian countries that illustrate these differences.
Population size: from 5 to more than 3 million
In Spain you will find municipalities with as few as five (yes, you read that right 5) inhabitants: In Illán deVacas in Toledo, the municipality’s population has a full 9.15 square kilometers at its disposal. Spain’s largest municipality in terms of population is Madrid, where more than 3.1 million people live.
The variations in population size are significant in both Spain and Scandinavia, but average figures still tell a lot. An average Spanish municipality has a modest 5,784 inhabitants. In comparison, a Norwegian municipality as of 1 January 2020 has approximately 12,500 inhabitants. Corresponding units in Sweden can boast almost 35,000 inhabitants, and a Danish municipality has over 57,000 inhabitants on average.
According to statistics from the Spanish authorities, as many as 84 per cent – i.e. the vast majority of Spanish municipalities – have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. In total, however, these municipalities have only 13 percent of the country’s total population. Spain is an urban society, and 15 of the country’s urban municipalities have more than a quarter of a million inhabitants.
A short way to decision-makers and local self-determination are stated values in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, a law that was drafted and adopted with the experiences of dictatorship in fresh memory. Consequently, municipalities with few inhabitants and a small area are often allowed to survive. Yes, Spanish authorities have even increased the number of municipalities from 8,122 at the end of 2014 to 8,131 as of 1 January 2020.
Area: from 0.03 km2 to 1,750 km2
When it comes to land area for Spanish municipalities, we also see large variations. The smallest municipality in the country is called Emperador and is located in the Valencia region. The municipality covers an area of very modest 0.03 km2 – that corresponds to 30 slightly spacious detached house plots. The contrast to Spain’s largest municipality is great: Cáceres in Extremadura extends over 1,750.33 square kilometers. Extramadura is located in southern Spain and borders Portugal to the west.
An average Spanish municipality has a modest geographical extent: 62 square kilometers. In comparison, a Norwegian municipality is on average 904 km2, a Swedish significantly larger with 1,553 km2, while a Danish average municipality is perhaps not so surprisingly the smallest among the Scandinavian countries: 438 km2. Spain’s largest municipality measured in area, is thus not much larger than a Swedish average municipality.
Spain has several levels of local government – in fact also units that are smaller than municipalities. The municipalities are responsible for providing a number of basic services, but exactly which ones depend on population numbers.
Obligations of all municipalities
All municipalities – from the largest to the very smallest – have a duty to provide street lighting, burial sites, garbage disposal, cleaning of public places and drinking water supply. They must also provide water and sewage systems, access to urban areas, road surfaces and food and beverage control.
Obligations of all municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants
Spanish municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants also have requirements to create and maintain public park areas, offer library services and an outdoor market. For a northerner who is mostly used to supermarkets and shopping centers, it is worth noting that the great markets around Spain are such an important part of life here that larger municipalities actually have a statutory duty to provide for them.
Obligations of all municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants
Municipalities with a population of 20,000 or more must also have an established civil defense, a social service, fire service and public sports facilities.
Obligations of all municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants
Really large municipalities, i.e. those with more than 50,000 inhabitants, must in addition to all the services imposed on smaller municipalities, offer public transportation in urban areas of the municipality and provide measures to protect the environment.
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