An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System

In Spain, human exposure to flooding continues to increase driven by changes in land use and population growth in urban and coastal areas. This study explores the geography of flood exposure in Spain in relation to human population, economic activities and points of special significance. The analysi...

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Main Authors: Fulgencio Cánovas-García, Jesús Vargas Molina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Geomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2421405
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author Fulgencio Cánovas-García
Jesús Vargas Molina
author_facet Fulgencio Cánovas-García
Jesús Vargas Molina
author_sort Fulgencio Cánovas-García
collection DOAJ
description In Spain, human exposure to flooding continues to increase driven by changes in land use and population growth in urban and coastal areas. This study explores the geography of flood exposure in Spain in relation to human population, economic activities and points of special significance. The analysis is based on public flood hazard and risk mapping generated by water management administrators at the river basin district level. The data are published and accessible through the Spanish National Floodplain Mapping System (NFMS). The results show for first time, the spatial distribution of human population exposure, which amounts to at least 3,263,000 inhabitants nationwide (6.9% of the total Spanish population), the potential economic loss, totalling at least 122,132 million euros across Spain, and points of special significance classified into eleven different categories that have been analysed for all Spanish river basin districts. The results also indicate a higher exposure concentration along the Mediterranean coast.
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publishDate 2025-12-01
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series Geomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk
spelling doaj-art-2ffbef3c266f4937854a7b4ef3638fcf2025-08-20T01:58:17ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGeomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk1947-57051947-57132025-12-0116110.1080/19475705.2024.2421405An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping SystemFulgencio Cánovas-García0Jesús Vargas Molina1Department of Geography, History and Humanities, University of Almería, Almería, SpainGeography Department, University of Málaga, Málaga, SpainIn Spain, human exposure to flooding continues to increase driven by changes in land use and population growth in urban and coastal areas. This study explores the geography of flood exposure in Spain in relation to human population, economic activities and points of special significance. The analysis is based on public flood hazard and risk mapping generated by water management administrators at the river basin district level. The data are published and accessible through the Spanish National Floodplain Mapping System (NFMS). The results show for first time, the spatial distribution of human population exposure, which amounts to at least 3,263,000 inhabitants nationwide (6.9% of the total Spanish population), the potential economic loss, totalling at least 122,132 million euros across Spain, and points of special significance classified into eleven different categories that have been analysed for all Spanish river basin districts. The results also indicate a higher exposure concentration along the Mediterranean coast.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2421405Cartographyexposurefloodriver basin districtEU Floods Directive
spellingShingle Fulgencio Cánovas-García
Jesús Vargas Molina
An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
Geomatics, Natural Hazards & Risk
Cartography
exposure
flood
river basin district
EU Floods Directive
title An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
title_full An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
title_fullStr An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
title_full_unstemmed An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
title_short An exploration of exposure to river flood risk in Spain using the National Floodplain Mapping System
title_sort exploration of exposure to river flood risk in spain using the national floodplain mapping system
topic Cartography
exposure
flood
river basin district
EU Floods Directive
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475705.2024.2421405
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