Activating local and regional development in the Iberian borderlands

Abstract

: The Iberian border, the Raya, is the oldest in Europe and stretches for1,234 km, crossing different regions and territories. Border communities have oftensuffered from conflict and distance from state powers, which has led to difficultdevelopment. Today they are characterised by depopulation and demographic ageing,the abandonment of primary activities, the weakness of the industrial fabric and theprecariousness of services. Over the last 30 years, the EU has policies and resources topromote cross-border cooperation. As a result, new institutions or structures forrelations and shared governance are emerging. From the perspective of RegionalGeography, these new borders represent an opportunity for applied geography,activating local and regional development and territorial resilience. In this context, thesingularity and diversity of the border, its persistent demographic crisis and territorialcooperation are addressed, especially from new instruments such as Euroregions andEurocities.