THE PYRENEAN REGION is of but little importance from the economic point of view. The inhabitants are mainly occupied in pastoral pursuits and in forest industries.
COMMERCE.—For the five years 1906-10 the average value of the exports of Spain was £40,000,000, and of the imports £42,000,000. Mineral ores and metals account for over 30 per cent. of the total value of the exports. Iron ore, which comes first in importance, is exported mainly to the United Kingdom, but also to Germany. Lead and copper, in various forms, find their chief market in the United Kingdom, but are also sent to France and Germany, and some copper goes to the United States. Fruit exports, which rank in importance next to mineral ores and metals, consist of almonds, grapes, oranges, raisins, and nuts. Of these, oranges, which are the most important, are sent to the United Kingdom and various European countries. Wine comes next to fruit in value, and red wines are exported to France and Cuba ; Malaga wines to France and the United Kingdom ; and sherry to the United Kingdom. Among other exports cotton goods are sent to France, Cuba, and the Philippines; animals, chiefly cattle, to Portugal ; skins and hides to France ; cork to Italy; and onions and esparto grass to Great Britain. The United Kingdom holds the first place as a purchaser of Spanish produce ; it is followed by France, Cuba, Germany, and the United States. The chief imports include raw cotton, coal and coke, chemi cal products, iron and steel manufactures, machinery, wheat, and timber. The bulk of the raw cotton comes from the United States.
Coal and coke are supplied mainly by the United Kingdom, but to some extent by Germany. Chemicals are imported from Belgium and the United Kingdom ; and iron and steel manufactures and machinery from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Belgium. The wheat is mainly of Russian origin, while the timber comes from the United States.
The United Kingdom is the chief importer into Spain, but is somewhat closely followed by France. The United States ranks third.
CONCLUSION.—The economic development of Spain has been hindered by a variety of circumstances. The infertile nature of much of the soil, the want of sufficient moisture, and the difficulties of communication, are all serious obstacles to progress. Even more important are political and social conditions. The glamour of the past has made the Spaniard indifferent to the realities of the present, and he does little to overcome the difficulties of his environment. An improvement in the means of com munication would permit the exploitation of vast mineral sources hitherto untouched ; irrigation might be extended, and consider able areas at present of little value might be rendered fertile ; at the same time the methods both of agriculture and manufacture might be considerably improved.