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34 The 1970s economic crisis saw the loss of many companies and jobs. Remains of the largest blast furnace at Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, today considered a heritage site. Sestao, Bizkaia. 5.2. The Basque economy The Basque economy, which was once based primarily on agriculture, fishing, crafts and trade, now relies on industry and services. Industrialisation came to the peninsular Basque Country in last third of the nineteenth century. The traditional industries in Euskadi include iron and steel, metal processing, shipbuilding, shipping, capital goods, machine-tooling, chemical industry, paper mills, the auxiliary automotive industry and rubber, among others. Their geographic distribution has evened out very slowly. Industrialisation spread from the left bank of the Nervión River in Bilbao during the nineteenth century towards the rest of Bizkaia, especially, to the regions of Gipuzkoa. Araba (along with Navarre) only experienced significant change in the 1950s and 1960s. Even so, profitable agriculture in Euskadi is mainly found in Araba (primarily grapes and potatoes). Pasture ranching for the most part has given way to farming. The decline and limitations in fishing because of jurisdictional waters (200 miles), and the exhaustion of fisheries resources has affected the profitability of fishing and the number of vessels. The economic crisis of the late 1970s and the effects of opening up the economy caused serious damage to the Basque economy, shutting down companies and almost entire sectors (the large iron and steel industry, metal and capital goods companies, shipbuilding, etc.). The unemployment rate was over twice as high as the rest of the European Union at the time. Some areas are still suffering the consequences. At the end of the 1960s Euskadi contributed 7.5% of the Spanish GDP; by 1990 the figure dropped more than a point and a half. The crisis finally began to recede in 1993 when the economy became more diversified and open to outside markets, and less specialised and vulnerable than it had been previously. In 1975 the Gross Domestic Product was around 8,030 million euros, mainly coming from industry, which employed more than 50% of the active population. Thirty years later, with a similar population (4.8% of the Spanish total), the GDP in 2005 was just 57.548 million euros at current prices. This was mainly due to a growing service sector, which was now employing 60% of the active population. The cost of keeping the industrial sector afloat also explained the increased GDP. In fact, of the 51,341 million euros Gross Value Added (GDP minus taxes on products) the industrial sector represented 29.27%, services 60.8%, construction 8.9%, and the primary sector 1%. Today the Basque economy has gained a few decimal points, now standing at 6.4% of the Spanish GDP. The average annual inflation rate is between 3 and 4%, the same as the Spanish average. By territory, the contribution to the GDP from Euskadi was: Bizkaia, 50.7%; Gipuzkoa, 32.3%; and Alava-Araba, 17%. Active population in Euskadi in 1930 and 2006, by sector. Active population in Euskadi in 1930 and 2006, by sector 1930 2006 Fisheries and agriculture 25% 1% Industry and construction 42% 34% Services 33% 64,6% Source: González Portilla, 1994, and Eustat 2007.
5.2.1. GDP trends in Euskadi The position of Euskadi in the Spanish economy: • 4.8% of the population. • 6.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). • 8.27% of exports. • 5.67% of imports. • 8.9% of industrial production. Euskadiʼs economy has improved significantly in the European context over the past decade, with per capita income growing from 89.62% of the European Union average in 1990 to 125% in 2006 – 25% above the current 27-member-state EU average. The Basque economy is still characterised by its strong industrial component. Industry contributed roughly 33% of the added value, as opposed to 25% for the countries of the EU. Today, it is competitive and is gaining ground in foreign markets, especially in Europe. In 2006 there were 186,306 establishments providing employment for 880,000 people, 14,768 of which were industrial outfits employing 222,392. The subsectors generating the most employment were metallurgy, transportation machinery, electrical material, rubber and plastics. There were also 35,000 outfits which provided services to companies and 12,700 working in construction. By industrial sector, Euskadi accounts for the following Spanish percentages: 90% of special steels; 80% of machine tools; 50% capital goods; 40% of steel production; 40% of electrical appliances; 33% of rubber and plastic; 27% of shipbuilding; 27% of paper and paperboard; 25% of automobile components; 25% of aeronautics; and 12% of electronics, computers and telecommuncations. Maintaining industry has not prevented the expansion of the tertiary sector (service industries) in the Basque economy, much like what has been seen in all advanced economies. In addition to the traditional strength of the Basque financial sector, with the Bilbao Stock Exchange and a solid banking sector (BBVA, Cajas de Ahorro, Banco Guipuzcoano, Caja Laboral, etc.), we are now experiencing rapid development in services for companies, the modernisation of trade and the recent influx of tourism. An outstanding organisation in this subsector is the Bilbao International Trade Fair – founded in 1932 and today held in Barakaldo at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) – aimed at promoting trade relations and introducing new products and services. Euskadiʼs foreign trade has a positive balance, although figures are down from a decade ago. 2006 provisional data show exports at 17.156 billion euros and imports at 12.474,69 billion. Exports are predominantly capital and transport goods, metallurgy and its by-products, petroleum by-products, plastics and rubber. The leading imports are metallurgy, energy products and minerals, machines, electrical material and transport material. The largest part of exports (two-thirds) goes to the 15-member European Union, followed by the USA and Latin America. Gipuzkoa is notable for the quantity of its exports. Port of Pasaia, Gipuzkoa. 35
Page 1 and 2: culture sport inmigration society T
Page 3 and 4: culture society sport inmigration p
Page 5 and 6: 7. THE ARTS IN EUSKAL HERRIA 7.1. V
Page 7: Terms used Euskal Herria, also know
Page 10 and 11: 8 Traditional Basque farmhouse. 1.
Page 12 and 13: 10 Santimamiñe cave, Bizkaia. Roma
Page 14 and 15: 12 The second Carlist War was fough
Page 16 and 17: 14 After more than 40 years since t
Page 18 and 19: 16 3.1.1. Factors for social change
Page 20 and 21: 18 In 2001, out of the two million
Page 22 and 23: 20 3.3. Social participation There
Page 24 and 25: 22 3.3.4. Non-governmental organisa
Page 26 and 27: 24 The makila (rulerʼs staff) is t
Page 28 and 29: 26 The traditional biltzar system,
Page 30 and 31: 28 Over the coming years, a large p
Page 32 and 33: 30 Basque Parliament. Vitoria-Gaste
Page 34 and 35: 32 Today, however, Iparralde is und
Page 38 and 39: 36 5.2.2. Trends in welfare and inc
Page 40 and 41: 38 5.3. The economies of Navarre an
Page 43 and 44: Part two Culture Basque culture tod
Page 45 and 46: Each Basque territory holds its own
Page 47 and 48: 6.2.3 Historical difficulties Histo
Page 49 and 50: 7. THE ARTS For the purposes of thi
Page 51 and 52: 7.1.3. Architecture 49 Architecture
Page 53 and 54: The nineteenth and twentieth centur
Page 55 and 56: 7.2 Basque literature Basque litera
Page 57 and 58: In addition to the above writers ar
Page 59 and 60: 7.3. Performing arts 7.3.1. Theatre
Page 61 and 62: Contemporary popular music The emer
Page 63 and 64: 7.4. Digital culture and multimedia
Page 65 and 66: Museo de Navarra. The Museum of Nav
Page 67 and 68: 8.2.1. Music and media libraries 65
Page 69 and 70: There are two private universities
Page 71 and 72: 8.6. The media The mass media in Eu
Page 73 and 74: In addition to music, some radio st
Page 75 and 76: 8.7.2. Historical figures This sect
Page 77 and 78: Jose Antonio Aguirre y Lecube (Bilb
Page 79 and 80: 8.9. Traditional and popular cultur
Page 81 and 82: Gastronomy The quality of Basque cu
Page 83 and 84: There are a lot of places to visit
Page 85 and 86: • Post-Compulsory Secundary Educa
Page 87 and 88:
9.2. Other resources in the Basque
Page 89 and 90:
9.4. Addresses of government instit
Page 91 and 92:
Sources and bibliography Official r
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