Preventing depopulation by improving technological endowment: A methodology for identifying priority municipalities

The European cities experimented, during the 20th century, industrialization processes
and agricultural changes that triggered the rural-urban exodus. A mostly young
population left their rural territories work in cities. These massive migratory movements
were the catalyst for the situation of depopulation and aging that currently suffer many
rural regions of Europe. Spain is one of the European countries most affected by
depopulation. The region of Castilla y León, in the northwest of the country, due to its
orographic characteristics and the dispersion of its population in a large number of
small municipalities, has been and still is especially vulnerable to the loss of
inhabitants in favour of large cities, converting a large part of its territory in a good
example of demographic desert. Many municipalities suffer physical isolation due to
their orographic environment and, additionally, they present also technological isolation
resulting from coverage issues in both land lines and mobile networks. The main
objective of this study is to priority areas where the improvement of technological
infrastructures and services can lead to reverse or stop the current depopulation trend,
at a time when teleworking can be an important lifeline for many rural municipalities.