The Never-Ending Story of the Metropolitan Area of Vigo (Galicia, Spain)

Abstract

Both the city of Vigo and its metropolitan area, understood respectively as a municipality and a functional region, have the largest populations in Galicia: almost 300,000 inhabitants in the first case and more than half a million in the second. However, the boundaries of the metropolitan area of Vigo are ambiguous, with a dispersion of opinions observable in the research carried out to date and a profusion of non-concurrent political approaches. Moreover, the institutionalisation of the metropolitan area has suffered two problems. Firstly, as a result of its own delimitation, which is continuously changing and under constant discussion. Secondly, because of the confrontation between the Local Government of Vigo and the Regional Government of Galicia. Through the analysis of the configuration and institutionalization process of this metropolitan area, it seeks to advance in issues of governance and urban development.