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The latest census data reveals a stark demographic shift in Aragón, characterized by severe rural depopulation and intense urban concentration. Over seventy percent of residents now live in municipalities with more than ten thousand inhabitants, while Zaragoza alone hosts half the regional population. This trend highlights a critical structural imbalance, where traditional rural communities face extinction, leaving only a small fraction of citizens in villages with fewer than one thousand people. The case of Almohaja exemplifies this catastrophic decline, having surpassed Salcedillo as the smallest municipality with just ten residents. Its population has plummeted from over two hundred in the early twentieth century, driven by the historical exodus toward urban centers in search of better economic opportunities. This continuous erosion of rural life demonstrates the long-term vulnerability of small towns, which struggle to maintain basic community structures amid persistent migration toward larger cities. This article is relevant to open data because it illustrates how publicly available statistical datasets provide essential insights into societal challenges. By tracking these demographic changes, policymakers and researchers can identify areas requiring urgent intervention. Transparent access to census figures enables the formulation of targeted strategies to combat rural abandonment, ensuring that data serves not only as a record of decline but as a tool for sustainable regional development and informed decision-making.

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Published on 2024-12-26

Open Data

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