2. 1. Introduction
The Grenadian economy and as a consequence, Loja’s economy moves within a
context of difficulties in growth, been extended to the entire national economy. The
deterioration of the construction sector would have to add the high level of
indebtedness of households, businesses and public administrations and
difficulties in obtaining financing by economic agents.
The adjustment of public finances in the country and the crisis in which the
agricultural farming, basis of our economy is immersed make almost
impossible the revival of economic activity.
As it happens in the rest of our country, the most serious problem is
unemployment that affects all statements of society although young people
applying for their first job are, by far, the most directly affected.
The low weight of the industrial sector in the province of Granada, joined the small
number of large companies based in the province, leading to a profile of the most
engaged and most demanded occupations in which the unemployed poor skill
premium of almost all them. The immediate consequence of this is that many of the
top professionals in the province are forced to go to other regions or even outside
Spain.
It is inevitable that many young people with higher education seek a job far from
Loja, in destinations that offer better prospects, more in line with professional
training and much better paid.
2. Location and administration
2.1 Location
Loja is nestled in the western part of the
province of Granada (Andalusia). The
municipality of Loja, located in the region
of Western Granada west of the capital,
consists, in addition to the population
center itself, for another 21 annexed more:
Los Arenales, Cuesta La Palma, Dehesa de
los Montes, Source Camacho, Milanos,
Pliner, Ventorros San Jose, Los Alazores,
Cuesta Blanca, La Esperanza, The Factory,
The Frontil, Manzanil, Riofrio, Agicampe,
Ventorros Balerma, Ventorros Laguna,
Lightning Sale, Sale Santa Barbara The
Rozuelas and The Bujeo. 's total population
of 21,135 people, of which about 16,000
3. live in the town of Loja. extension of the municipality is
454.7 km 2 , of which 300 correspond to vegas and crops
and 150 mid-mountain areas. Their dimensions vary
between 1,670 m altitude of Sierra Gorda, north of the
town, and 500 meters from the population itself, a situation
that makes it a natural gateway between high and low
Andalusia.
Walk is located at the A-92, km. 192, (CN-342)
communication backbone of Andalusia, why today most of
the trips are made within our region, allowing more capital
from distant provinces are not used more than three hours
to reach the city, leaving the international airports of Granada and Malaga at 20
and 40 minutes respectively.
The municipality of Loja, located in the region of Western Granada west of the
capital, consists, in addition to the population center itself, for another 21 annexed
more:
Los Arenales, Cuesta La Palma, Dehesa de los Montes, Source Camacho, Milanos,
Pliner, Ventorros San Jose, Los Alazores, Cuesta Blanca, La Esperanza, The Factory,
The Frontil, Manzanil, Riofrio, Agicampe, Ventorros Balerma, Ventorros Laguna,
Lightning Sale, Sale Santa Barbara The Rozuelas and The Bujeo. 's total population
of 21,135 people, of which about 16,000 live in the town of Loja. extension of the
municipality is 454.7 km 2 , of which 300 correspond to vegas and crops and 150
mid-mountain areas. Their dimensions vary between 1,670 m altitude of Sierra
Gorda, north of the town, and 500 meters from the population itself, a situation
that makes it a natural gateway between high and low Andalusia.
2.2 Administrative organization
Loja is a Spanish city in the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of
Andalucía. This west part of Granada province is called “Poniente Granadino”which
consists Loja—the most important place of this region and all the surrounding
districts, Barrio de San Antonio, Ventorros de San José, Fuente Camacho, El Bujeo,
Venta del Rayo, La Fábrica, La Esperanza, Ventorros de la Laguna, Riofrío, La
Palma, El Frontil, Ventorros de Balerma, Venta Santa Bárbara, Cuesta Blanca and
Atajea. In 2013 Loja had 21 135 inhabitants according to the National Statistics
Institute(INE).
Loja forms a municipality which is governed by a city council of
democratic governance since 1979. It consists of 21 members
elected in local elections as it is stipulated in the Organic Law of
the General Electoral Regime. The Town Hall is located in the
Duke of Valencia palace.
4. 2. The population.
The financial crisis that affects all Europe has caused a cause a fall in the number of
inhabitants in our town. Nowadays Loja, including the neighbouring towns that
belong to our district, has a population of 21,618 inhabitants: 10845 are men and
10773 are women. 16,297 of them are working and 2,190 are unemployed. The
unemployment rate with 13.9% is quite high, but not much higher than in the
other prominent cities of our province.
The town of Loja covers a lot of villages and hamlets such as Agicampe, Alazores,
Almendro, Los Arenales, La Atalaya, Campo Dauro, La Ciudad, Dehesa de los Montes,
Los Gallombares, Huertas Bajas, Jardines de Narváez, Manzanil, Molehones, Nuño
Daza, Plines y Puerto Blanquillo (National Statistics Institute, INE).
Demographic evolution from 1900 to 2012 when the population began to
decrease. In 1995 there were more than 22,000 inhabitants.
3. Commercial area of influence.
The bulk of the provincial economic activity is concentrated in the capital and its
metropolitan area and coastal municipalities. Five urban districts, Granada, Motril,
Albolote, Peligros and Loja, employ more than half of workers in the province
(50.94%).
Loja is economically supported by agriculture and livestock. The most frequent
technique is irrigated agriculture which consists of 85% of olive growing together
with asparagus and other agricultural harvests like cabbage, parsley and tomatoes
which constitutes the 15% of the total crops.
5. Obviously, our region is worldly known for
our olive oil. We produce olive oil of excellent
quality, which has a very defined features
thanks to the uniqueness and richness of the
soil and climate of this region, typically
Mediterranean but strongly influenced by
Loja’s sorrounding mountains.Our land is
suitable for the different varieties of olives,
being the predominant varieties Hojiblanca
by more than 80% and the so-called Picual.
The most importan olive oil factory in Loja, as well as, in the province of Granada is
The famous “Cooperativa San Isidro”. Cooperativa San Isidro de Loja was founded
in 1958 with the aim of unifying the efforts of its partners to sell the products they
have produced. It has over 950 members with an average annual production of
more than 30 million kg of olives that produce about 6.5 million kg of olive oil, and
an average annual production of green asparagus over 600,000 kgs.
Regarding livestock, we must stands out the
autochthonous sheep bred exclusively here. In
addition, we have wide commercial trade of
products like ecological food, sturgeon eggs or
caviar, olive oil and asparagus among others.
During the last decades of the XX century, it was also important the construction
industry employing a large number of people and the services sector with a wide
range of possibilities, ranging from luxury to small rural hotels. Despite the crisis,
many of hotels and rural houses are still an important economic source. However,
the construction sector has severely been hit by the country economic problems.
4. Communication routes present and futures.
Transport and Communications.
It is important to stand out that we are in the heart of Andalusia and in the
centre of the communication network, connecting all the main capital cities,
that is, Malaga, Seville, Córdoba, Granada, etc.
Loja is perfectly connected with the airport of Granada which is 20 minutes from
Málaga International from which more than 40 minutes are not used.
We can also reach the city by rail, which is within the municipality three stops:
Loja, San Francisco and Riofrio, upon request by the latter groups. Loja is easy rail
link with any city in Spain.
On the other hand and easily found the bus service to arriving and departing all
cities in Spain either directly or through transfers. The frequency is one every
hour.
6. There are several bus lines that communicate Loja with Granada, Malaga and other
cities. It also has a stop in the railway connection: Almería-Granada-Sevilla,
Granada-Antequera-Algeciras and Granada-Antequera-Córdoba-Madrid. In
addition, there is a project to build a station for the new high speed train line
Seville-Granada, in the upper area of the city.
As a curiosity, In the 1960s there was a commuter train
that connected Loja with Huétor-Tájar, the train was
known as “the short” of Loja. That is why our local news
paper is called That way “El Corto de Loja”.
5. Information sources:
- Páginas web: Ayuntamiento Loja, Diputación de Granada, Cámara de
Comercio de Granada.
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (www.sepe.es)
- National Institute of Statistics (INE)
- University of Granada: website and publications.
- Interviews to business personalities in town.
- http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poniente_Granadino#Poblaci.C3.B3n
- http://www.lojaturismo.com
