The GDP per Basque inhabitant, measured in terms of purchasing power parity (PPA) was 22,936 in the year 2000, 101% of the average for the European Union-15 which was 22,603, the average for the Spanish state being 82% of the European average. Apart from the A.C. of the Basque Country, only two other Autonomous Communities had higher than EU-15 average in the year 2000: Madrid (110%) and Navarre (105%). France (101%) and the UK (100%) also matched the Community average for the year.

The distribution of Basque GDP per capita by provinces was unequal, the figure for Alava being 24% higher than the European average, 3% higher than in Gipuzkoa and 6% lower than in Bizkaia. Between 1996 and 2000, there was no process of convergence between provincial GDP per capita, thus maintaining the gap.

DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION TO BASQUE GDP

The three leading districts in the Provinces- Gran Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián and la Llanada Alavesa- concentrated 65% of the wealth generated in the year 2000, two percent lower than in 1996. The reason for this lower contribution is the establishment of industrial activity in outlying districts, which have proven to be more dynamic over the five year period.

If the absolute values of each district are taken in relation to the number of inhabitants, we can observe that three Alaves districts- Estribaciones del Gorbea, Rioja Alavesa and Valles Alaveses-, one Gipuzkoana- Alto Deba- and one Bizkaian -Duranguesado- were over 25% higher than the Basque GDP per capita. The latter two districts have emerged in this ranking for the year 2000, when only the three Alaves districts surpassed this figure in 1996. Industrial specialization -industry contributed 64.26% of GDP in the Alto Deba and 52% in the Duranguesado- has enabled these levels of GDP per capita to be reached.

The other districts above the Basque average per capita were: Llanada Alavesa (15%), Arratia-Nervión (12%), Goierri (10%), Cantábrica Alavesa (8%), Montaña Alavesa (7%), Urola Costa (5%), Bajo Deba (3%) and Tolosaldea (3%).

At the other end of the balance were the districts whose GDP per capita was at least 10% lower than the Basque average: Encartaciones, Plentzia-Mungia, Gernika-Bermeo, Markina-Ondarroa and Bajo Bidasoa

The districts of Donostialdea and Gran Bilbao are found among the districts whose GDP index per capita is lower than average, between 90 and 99%.

Between 1996 and 2000 there was a certain concentration of GDP per capita in the district distribution, narrowing the gap between the districts that generated most wealth per capita (Estribaciones del Gorbea) and least (Encartaciones).

STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MUNICIPAL ECONOMY AND ITS GDP PER CAPITA

If we analyse data by municipalities, Zamudio, Legutiano and Olaberria lead the list of Basque municipalities with the highest GDP per capita, determined by having relevant industrial activity and almost no representation of the primary sector. Some of these municipalities are characterised by having technological parks within their territorial limits.

The municipalities with the lowest GDP per capita are usually in rural areas which are not in Alava and have a low resident population.

Among the municipalities that generate low GDP per capita are also municipalities such as Portugalete and Santurtzi with sizeable resident populations, 52,249 and 48,172 respectively, that did not reach 50% of the average of the A.C. of the Basque Country. They are towns in which industrial activity moved out of the urban centres and settled in industrial estates belonging to neighbouring municipalities.

Of the Basque capitals, Vitoria-Gasteiz has a 13% higher GDP per capita than the Basque average, Bilbao 2% higher and Donostia –San Sebastián almost the average. The former bases its hegemony on a powerful and modern industry that provides over 40% of its GDP, while Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastián base their economic structure on the services sector, over 75% of its GDP is generated by this sector, and where the industrial contribution is very low, around 18%, more than 20 percent below the Basque average.

In the municipal generation of GDP per capita from 1996 to 2000 there was greater dispersion, thus increasing the gap between those that generate most and least wealth.