Traditionally, medium-sized cities have been compact urban centres, which have also emerged as satellite nuclei within metropolitan areas of larger cities. However, urban dispersion models have led to growth in population and the increasing urbanisation of large cities’ peripheral areas. This article will analyse medium-sized cities in Spain, as well as their urban areas within the national urban network. Medium-sized cities will be defined herein, and their urban areas of influence will also be established. The increase and growth in area and population of the so-called medium-sized cities draws a new map of urban relationships. Empirical analysis will resort to a nuclear, demographic source, the population of urban areas. Source data will be analysed both statistically and cartographically. Finally, a spatial analysis of Spain’s urban network will be presented as the main method used to obtain results, with a characterisation of Spain’s urban system and the role of cities in such system being displayed. There is a trend which aims at re-balancing the permanent configuration of the country’s urban network. The article concludes with a typology of medium-sized cities regarding their relative position in the territory. This research contributes to the current scientific debate on the dynamics of urbanisation in the environment of medium-sized cities.

Resumen El inicio del siglo XXI ha sido muy compulsivo en la dinámica urbana española. La causa principal ha sido el crecimiento urbanístico explosivo que tuvo lugar entre 2000 y 2008 y su siguiente paralización por la Gran Recesión. El artículo analiza este proceso centrado en las ciudades medias y sus respectivas coronas dentro del contexto nacional. Se plantea un estudio comparado de la evolución de la población y de las unidades constructivas de las ciudades medias y sus áreas urbanas. Las fuentes utilizadas son el Padrón Municipal de Habitantes y el Catastro Inmobiliario. La investigación se realiza mediante un método deductivo. Los resultados obtenidos muestran una respuesta dispar de las ciudades españolas dentro del patrón común marcado por el punto de inflexión que supuso la crisis, con un contexto general de desarrollo hasta 2008 y de caída posterior. Además, se produce un comportamiento diferente del crecimiento urbano en relación con la proximidad a una gran área metropolitana.

Environmental problems endanger the sustainability and survival of our planet. A way to raise awareness of the seriousness of the current environmental situation among future citizens and instill proactive behaviors that place the environment at the center of decision-making is environmental education. This study analyzes nine primary and secondary education textbooks in order to see what environmental education students receive as part of the subject of geography across the years of compulsory education in Spain. These textbooks are published by three different and main companies, which are a good example of the adaptation of the official curriculum. The study was conducted using the design and development of a coding sheet combining analysis of format (quantitative) and content (qualitative). The results show much room for improvement there is in environmental education in Spain. This improvement should start from the organization of the curriculum and its subsequent transposition into the textbooks. Thus, many changes are needed if we wish to build a society capable of effectively solving the threat of the environmental problems that surround us.

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