Migration into Southern Spain

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Spain's traditional role has always been the exporter of migrants, first to the Americas, and later to Western European countries after World War II. It looks at how, during the 1960s, wealthy retired citizens from Northern Europe began to arrive and how, during the last two decades, Spain has seen a new phenomenon involving large numbers of migrant workers from Europe and peripheral countries who seek work and economic opportunities. It explores how these migrant workers are typically filling the jobs rejected by the natives of Spain and are, therefore, filling a sector of Spain's economy.

From the Paper:

"While much of Costa del Sol is inhabited by wealthy northern Europeans residing in villas, apartments and hotel chains, east of Malaga, the flatlands of Almeria are rich from intensive agriculture, made possible by the large number of immigrants (Simons 2000). In fact, much of the winter fruits and vegetables supplied to Europe come from the more than ten thousand hothouses that have sprung up here (Simons 2000). "A floating population of perhaps as many as 100,000 laborers, most Moroccan, pick the tomatoes, strawberries and eggplants or move with the seasons to harvest olives and oranges around Andalusia" (Simons 2000). Most have crossed the Mediterranean in rickety boats, (much like those who cross from Cuba to Florida) to make about $25 a day, about four times what they can make at home (Simons 2000)."

More papers on Migration into Southern Spain:

• Essay # 28825 : "Dominican Migration into the United States"
• Essay # 84388 : "Field to Factory: The Great Migration"
• Essay # 2903 : "Illegal Migration from Morocco to Spain"

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