[en] Catalonia is located in the north-east corner of Spain, on the Mediterranean coast and bordering with France in the north. It is one of the most industrialized and developed regions of Spain, with a per capita income of 10879 ECU per year (1989), 21.9% higher than the Spanish average. It contributes to 20.3% of the Spanish GDP. Primary energy consumption was 16.5 M toe in 1989, covered by the following sources: 3.5% coal, 51.8% oil, 9.4% natural gas, 3.6% hydro, 30.8% nuclear, 0.1% electrical import/export balance and 0.8% waste residuals. Oil dependence is distorted by the existence of a major petrochemical industry that uses more than 2.6 Mtoe of oil derivatives for non-energy purposes. Final energy demand in 1989 was 8.8 Mtoe, 40.9% for industry, 36.9% for transportation and 22.3% for the domestic and services sector. In the 60's, Catalonia's socio-economic development was accompanied by a spectacular increase in the demand for primary energy: from slightly above 2.5 million toe in 1960 to 5.6 Mtoe ten years later. If this decade can be characterized by a steady increase in the total value of consumption, the 70's also constitute years of major changes in the field of energy on an international scale (the oil crisis) and in politics in the Spanish State. 6 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs