Title: Geographic, demographic and inbreeding patterns in a Basque mountainous region of Guipuzcoa.

POPLINE Document Number: 314815

Author(s):

Calderon R
Aresti U
Ambrosio B
Rosa JM

Source citation:

International Journal of Anthropology, 2005 Jul;20(3-4):173-197.

Abstract:

The Goierri, a mountain region within the Basque Hills of Guiptlzcoa, includes one of the most culturally controlled autochthonous populations within the Basque area, mainly from linguistic point of view. The effects of geography and demographic changes (1862-1995) on consanguinity variables over its 21 Municipalities have been investigated. Rates of consanguineous marriages and mean inbreeding levels recorded in some of the southern villages can be considered high but, average values for the entire region were lowered due to the early industrialization of the province. In spite of that, consanguinity in the study area has been, for a long time, a prevailing and conspicuous phenomenon when compared to the other Guiptizcoa regions. The impact of marriages between first cousins from immigrant groups on the regional inbreeding levels represents an interesting result as well. Geographic and demographic factors seem to be related both to the extent of marriages as well as to the number of potential mates within populations, which, in turn, are associated with mean inbreeding levels. Altitude seems to show weak relationship with population distribution and population consanguinity variables. Nevertheless, levels of endogamy appear positively correlated with consanguinity rates and mean inbreeding coefficient and, inversely related -but not statistically significant- to mean village sizes. First cousin marriages yield the highest levels of exogamy and exogamous M22 marriages were mostly concentrated within short (1-10 km) and long-range marital distances (>50 km). The average values of Goierri have been compared with a consanguinity data set of some selected Spanish mountain populations taken from the literature. One of the main results is that geographic and demographic variables are poorly correlated with the most important inbreeding parameters. However, different clusters of populations can be observed with specific characteristics for each of them, not highly correlated with geography. (author's)

Keywords:

Spain
Research Report
Demographic Analysis
Mathematical Model
Ethnic Groups
Human Geography
Demographic Factors
Genetics
Marriage Patterns
Population Characteristics
Population Dynamics
Consanguinity
Europe, Southwestern
Europe
Developed Countries
Research Methodology
Models, Theoretical
Cultural Background
Population
Geography
Social Sciences
Science
Sociocultural Factors
Biology
Marriage
Nuptiality