The Barcelona Metropolitan Area: an unbalanced region

Abstract

The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (BMA) does notas yet have any legal basis. It includes the districts of the Barcelonés, Baix Llobregat, Val!és Occidental, Vallés Oriental, Maresme, Garra! and Alt Penedés, as these are defined in the administrative division made in 1932 by the Generalitat of Catalonia -an organ of se!f- government that goes back to the Middle Ages. The BMA includes 162 municipal authorities and covers 10.2% ofthe total area ofCatalonia, which is 31.895,29 sq. km. In it live 70% ofthe whole Catalan population, which was 6.078.154 in 1983. Barcelona itse!fis the dominant municipality, containing 31% of the population of Catalonia and 45% of that of the BMA. The Barcelonés district is the most privileged as regards provision of public services and also has the highest population density (16.213 inhabitants per square kilometer).