HIPGDAC-ES: historical population grid data compilation for Spain (1900-2021)

Area of Science:

• Historical Demography
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Spatio-temporal Data Analysis

Background:

• Historical population distribution data is limited, hindering comprehensive demographic and historical research.
• Existing methods for population gridding often rely on recent satellite data, limiting historical depth.
• Previous spatial population data relied on coarse municipal-level figures or gazetteer settlements, lacking granular detail.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the first high-resolution historical population grids for Spain spanning 1900 to 2021.
• To utilize historical cadastral data for creating detailed population distribution maps.
• To provide a validated methodology for reconstructing past population geographies.

Main Methods:

• Employed a top-down gridding approach using historical cadastral data and homogeneous municipal population figures.
• Generated population grids at 100m x 100m and 1km x 1km resolutions for all census years from 1900 to 2021.
• Validated the methodology against a bottom-up population grid from the Spanish National Statistical Institute (INE) for the 2021 census.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated detailed historical population grids for Spain across multiple resolutions and census years.
• Demonstrated the utility of cadastral data for extending population gridding further back in time compared to satellite imagery.
• The generated grids offer a more accurate spatial representation of historical population than municipal data alone.

Conclusions:

• This research presents a novel and valuable dataset for historical population geography in Spain.
• The methodology provides a robust framework for reconstructing historical population distributions where data is scarce.
• The generated grids serve as a crucial resource for understanding long-term demographic changes and their spatial patterns.