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EXTREMADURA
GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHY
In western central Spain, Extremadura is bounded to the west by Portugal, to the north by the limestone uplands of the Sierra de Credos and the Sierra de Gata, and to the south by the foothills of the Sierra Morena. The region covers an area of 41.634 square kilometres, where lives a population of 1.058.503 inhabitants with a density of 26,77 inhabitants per square km.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Extremadura's main weaknesses and the obstacles to its economic development are poor communications within the region (owing to the inadequate road network and the difficulty of getting from one part of the region to another).
ECONOMY
The regional GDP is about 11.265.937 (Mill. EUR), and the per capita GDP is 10.500 (in K EUR). The principal feature of the region's economy is the important role played by agriculture. The region's main exports are produced by the agricultural sector and the agri-industries, principally the canning and the cork industries.

Another major export is electricity, of which Extremadura produces a considerable surplus. The potential for future development in the region lies mainly in increasing and exploiting better its comparative advantage in these fields.
LABOUR MARKET
The total number of employees is 448.000, and the employment rate is around 42%; the male employment rate is 57% whereas the female one is 26%. The regional unemployment rate is 14%. The sectoral employment distribution rate is: 50.000 persons employed in agriculture, 41.000 in industrial sector, and 227.000 in the services sector.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The region spends 0,6% of its GDP in research and development.
DATA RELATED TO REGIONAL STRUCTURAL FUNDS MECHANISMS
The region belongs to EU objective one for the period 2000-2006, granting funds of 2 billions euro for that period.
REGIONAL PROGRAMME OF INNOVATIVE ACTIONS (RPIA)
 Region RPIA - Regional Programme of Innovative Actions - Strategic theme:

INFORMATION SOCIETY: The general aim of the strategic program e-Extremadura was the complete utilisation of the new infrastructures of the Information Society (Regional Intranet), through active collaboration of all the socio-economic sectors. It enabled the definition of actions of regional development based on Information Society methodology and tools, avoiding digital exclusion in the region.

Region RPIA - Regional Programme of Innovative Actions - sub-theme:
There were three different subthemes corresponding to the different objectives addressed:

  • Objective 1: Creation and adaptation of digital content for the Extremadura Intranet, that involved the Information Society the greatest number possible of sectors and citizens, under equal conditions and which allowed for an increase in the confidence of the entities and the citizen in the new information technologies.

  • Objective2: Differential technology literacy that allowed the complete usage of the IS resources available for the public and private sectors within the Region.

  • Objective 3: Promotion of a new business and labour culture, tied to the information and communication technologies, in the traditional economic sectors and in those pertaining to new activities.