Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia, located on Spain’s northeastern Mediterranean coast. It is bordered by the Collserola mountain range to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The metropolitan area stretches along the coastline, with a densely populated urban core. The city has a typical Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters.
Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city after Madrid, with a municipal population of 1.6 million. It forms the core of the larger Área Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB), which includes 36 municipalities and a total population of 3.2 million. The AMB plays a key role in regional governance, particularly in urban planning, mobility, and climate adaptation policy, making it a crucial institution for urban resilience strategies.
Overview
Barcelona’s urban expansion accelerated during the 19th century with the onset of industrialization, which spurred rapid population growth and transformed the region into a major economic hub. During this period, the city extended beyond its historic center with the construction of neighborhoods like Eixample and Sant Antoni, designed in a grid-like layout to facilitate traffic flow while integrating green spaces. However, over time, increasing pressure from real estate development led to dense construction in these areas, drastically reducing access to parks and greenery.
In the 20th century, internal migration waves triggered the rapid growth of peripheral neighborhoods such as Nou Barris, Carmel, and La Mina. These areas were often developed with little or no urban planning—many featuring self-built housing—and continue to face socio-economic challenges, poor infrastructure, and risks of eviction or demolition.
Finally, in preparation for the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona underwent another major transformation. The city’s waterfront was redeveloped, entire neighborhoods were reshaped, and many residents were relocated. Numerous infrastructure projects were carried out, especially along the shoreline.
Map of Barcelona Districts
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Climate risk
Over the past 10–15 years, Barcelona has experienced increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves, with record-breaking temperatures and durations in recent summers. The most extreme event to date occurred in July 2024, when, for the first time, temperatures in the city exceeded 40 °C (on July 30), and nighttime temperatures remained above 26 °C for several consecutive days. This trend is closely linked to climate change and is expected to continue under current projections. The impact is further intensified by the Urban Heat Island effect, which causes temperatures in densely built areas to be significantly higher than in surrounding zones.
Climate adaptation policy
Rising temperatures pose serious health risks—particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and residents of low-income households. To address these risks, Barcelona City Council launched Pla Clima, a climate action plan for the 2018–2030 period, aimed at strengthening the city’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Pla Clima promotes accessible green spaces, sustainable urban design, and community involvement in building climate resilience.
Key measures include the creation of climate refuges in densely populated neighborhoods through the Superblock program, expanding urban shade via the Barcelona Tree Master Plan – Trees for Life, improving public transport, and other strategies to help the city cope with extreme heat. These actions are designed not as isolated efforts but as part of a broader, integrated strategy to improve urban livability and resilience in the face of rising temperatures.
Ongoing monitoring shows that heat-vulnerable populations often live in the areas most exposed to extreme heat. In neighborhoods such as Nou Barris, Horta, and Sants-Montjuïc, high heat exposure coincides with factors like limited vegetation, poor building insulation, and lower socio-economic status.
Migration history
During the 20th century, two major periods of internal migration significantly shaped Barcelona’s urban structure. The first occurred between 1910 and 1929, when people—particularly from rural areas of Spain—migrated to Barcelona in search of economic opportunities. The second wave took place between 1950 and 1976, driven by industrialization and the economic growth of Catalunya. In both cases, newcomers primarily settled in peripheral neighborhoods, leading to their rapid and often unplanned expansion.
In the early 2000s, Barcelona entered a new phase of demographic change due to international migration. While foreign residents made up just 3.5% of the city’s population in 2000, this figure rose to 18.1% by 2009. By 2017, 17.5% of residents were foreign nationals, and 23% were foreign-born. Initially, most migrants came from Latin America, but in recent years there has been a notable increase in residents from Asia and other parts of Europe. As of 2017, the most represented nationalities were Italian (10.1% of all migrants), Pakistani (7.2%), Chinese (6.9%), French (5.1%), and Moroccan (4.7%).
Current snapshot
The highest concentration of foreign residents is found in Ciutat Vella and El Raval, neighborhoods located in the historic city center. In El Raval, over 60% of residents are foreign-born, with large Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Moroccan communities. These neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to heat due to their narrow streets, dense built environment, and limited access to green spaces.
Another area with a high proportion of foreign residents is Nou Barris, a neighborhood near the Collserola mountain range and farther from the city center. Here, communities with Latin American origins have become especially established. Like El Raval, Nou Barris faces challenges related to heat vulnerability and urban inequality.