Editing Extremadura (section)

== Economy ==
The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) of Extremadura was 20 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.7% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 20,100 euros or 67% of the EU27 average in the same year. Extremadura was the community with the second lowest GDP per capita in Spain before [[Melilla]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58|title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018|website=Eurostat|date=5 March 2020|access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref>

Export goods (mostly consisting of food and semimanufactures) are primarily sent to the [[European Single Market|European market]], but there has been a growing share of non-EU export destinations throughout the 2010s.<ref name=caixa /> [[Balance of trade]] is generally positive.<ref name=caixa />

The unemployment rate stood at 17.3% in 2022, significantly lower than in the previous decade.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00010/default/table?lang=en|title=Unemployment rate by NUTS 2 regions |website=Eurostat|date=13 June 2024|access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref>

===Agriculture===
[[File:Cerdos ibericos.jpg|thumb|right|Iberian pigs in Extremadura]]
[[File:LA VERA.CACERES 2.010 plantacion de tabaco - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Tobacco field in La Vera]]
Wild [[Black Iberian pig]]s roam in the area and consume [[acorn]]s from [[oak]] groves. These pigs are caught and used for the cured ham dish ''[[jamón ibérico]]''. The higher the percentage of acorns eaten by the pigs, the more valuable the ham. For example, ''jamón ibérico'' from pigs whose diet consists of 90% acorns or more can be sold for more than twice as much as ham whose pigs ate on average less than 70% acorns.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} In the US, ''jamón ibérico'' directly from Extremadura, with bone, was illegal until around 2005. At that time, enough US restaurants were in demand for the delicacy that Spain decided to export it as boneless, which the [[US Department of Agriculture]]'s health codes would approve (and continue to do).{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

85 Extremaduran municipalities constitute the jurisdiction of the "Dehesa de Extremadura" [[Protected designation of origin|Protected Designation of Origin]] (PDO), which protects ''jamones'' and ''paletas'' (hind and front pig legs) originated from [[Black Iberian pig|Iberian pigs]] and mixed Iberian/[[Duroc pig|Duroc]]-Jersey pigs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoy.es/agro/201605/31/municipios-dehesa-extremadura-20160531175846.html|website=[[Hoy (Extremadura)|Hoy]]|title=85 municipios en la D.O. Dehesa de extremadura|date=31 May 2016}}</ref>

As of 2021, Extremadura produces about 98% of the [[tobacco]] produced in Spain, also being the leading European producing region.<ref name=tobacco>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eleconomista.es/next-generation/noticias/11326094/07/21/Un-eslabon-imprescindible-Extremadura-produce-el-98-del-tabaco-que-se-cultiva-en-Espana.html|website=El Economista|title=Un eslabón imprescindible: Extremadura produce el 98% del tabaco que se cultiva en España|date=4 September 2021}}</ref> Tobacco production concentrates in [[La Vera]] and [[Campo Arañuelo]].<ref name=tobacco />

[[Tomato]] production (2,122,000 tonnes in 2017) primarily concentrates in the riverbanks of the Guadiana and the Alagón-Árrago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoy.es/agro/extremadura-logra-mejor-20180311002242-ntvo.html|website=[[Hoy (Extremadura)|Hoy]]|title=Extremadura logra su mejor campaña de tomate al crecer un 13% en 2017|date=11 March 2018|first=Celestino J.|last=Vinagre}}</ref>

A large part of the region falls within the scope of the [[Ribera del Guadiana|Ribera del Guadiana PDO]], which is further divided in the Ribera Alta, [[Tierra de Barros]], Matanegra, Ribera Baja, Montánchez, and Cañamero wine subregions.{{Sfn|Piñero Chacón|1999|pp=201–202}} The PDO protects the [[wines]] made of several varieties of black and white grapes.{{Sfn|Piñero Chacón|1999|p=202}}

As of 2021, Extremadura is the second largest [[rice]] producing region in Spain, after Andalusia.<ref name=efeagro>{{Cite web|url=https://www.efeagro.com/noticia/sector-arroz-espana-futuro/|website=EfeAgro|publisher=[[EFE]]|date=11 May 2021|title=El sector del arroz en España teme por su futuro pese a los buenos precios}}</ref> Due to drought and high water demands from rice fields, non-irrigated rice fields have been favoured since the late 2010s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/andalucia/economia/la-sequia-meteorologica-pasa-factura-al-algodon-y-los-herbaceos-del-suroeste/50001111-4560655|website=[[EFE]]|title=La sequía meteorológica pasa factura al algodón y los herbáceos del suroeste|date=12 June 2021}}</ref><ref name=efeagro /> Together with Murcia, Extremadura is a major producer of [[paprika]], primarily destined to the Spanish market.<ref name=qcom>{{Cite web|url=http://www.qcom.es/alimentacion/reportajes/el-pimenton--algo-muy-espanol_42952_2_50018_0_1_in.html|website=qcom|title=El pimentón, algo muy español|first=Ángel|last=Marqués Ávila|date=29 April 2021}}</ref> Peppers are grown in the {{ill|Pimentón de la Vera|es|lt="Pimentón de la Vera" PDO}}, consisting of the ''comarcas'' of La Vera, Campo Arañuelo, [[Valle del Ambroz]] and [[Valle del Alagón]].<ref name=qcom /> The PDO produced 3,860 tonnes in 2020.<ref name=qcom />

=== Energy ===
About half the value of the regional industrial production belongs to the [[energy sector]].<ref name=colonization /> Extremadura presents a huge energy surplus, producing about four times the energy it consumes.<ref name=colonization>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elsaltodiario.com/energia/colonizacion-electrica-extremadura|website=[[El Salto (newspaper)|El Salto]]|title=La colonización eléctrica de Extremadura|date=14 April 2021|first=Juan|last=Viera}}</ref> This situation has led to the characterization of Extremadura as a potential "colony" of the private electricity companies, which are not taxed in the region and employ a relatively low share of the industrial workforce.<ref name=colonization /> The Tagus is dammed in the reservoirs of [[Alcántara Dam|Alcántara]], Torrejón and [[Valdecañas reservoir|Valdecañas]] whereas the Guadiana is dammed in the reservoirs of [[Cíjara Dam|Cíjara]], [[García Sola Reservoir|Puerto Peña]], Orellana and Zújar.{{Sfn|Mateos Dávila|Hernández González|1983|p=71}} Due to the orographic conditions, the Tagus is better suited for [[hydroelectric]] use than the Guadiana.{{Sfn|Mateos Dávila|Hernández González|1983|p=71}} As of 2021, the region has around 2,193.84 MW of installed hydroelectric power, primarily controlled by [[Endesa]] and [[Iberdrola]], with a lesser role of Grupo Pitarch.<ref name=colonization />

The two reactors of the [[Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant]] (which were put in operation in 1981 and 1983, respectively) are jointly operated by Endesa, Iberdrola and [[Naturgy]].<ref name=colonization /> They generate a power of 1,048.43 MW and 1,044.45 MW.<ref name=eldiario>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eldiario.es/extremadura/economia/comunidad-colonia-electrica-produce-energia-no-deja-trabajo-impuestos_1_7322096.html|website=[[eldiario.es]]|title=Extremadura, una "colonia" eléctrica: produce mucha energía que no deja ni trabajo, ni riqueza|date=18 March 2021|author=J.L.A.}}</ref>

The region is at the forefront of Spain's plans for [[energy transition]] and a [[Low-carbon economy|decarbonisation]], thanks to the installation of large solar power plants and the granting of [[lithium]] mining licenses.<ref name=pilaverde /> Such prospects sparked criticism and concern regarding how to avoid a "third energy colonisation" after those of the construction of reservoirs for [[hydroelectric]] use and the building of [[nuclear power plant]]s.<ref name=pilaverde>{{Cite web|url=https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2021-05-29/extremadura-la-pila-verde-de-espana.html?ssm=TW_CC|website=[[El País]]|title=Extremadura, la pila verde de España|first1=Manuel |last1=Planelles|first2=Ignacio|last2=Fariza|date=30 May 2021}}</ref> Two of the largest [[photovoltaic power plant]]s in Europe are located in the region: Francisco Pizarro (590 MW) in [[Torrecillas de la Tiesa]] and Núñez de Balboa (500 MW) in [[Usagre]]; both are operated by Iberdrola, which is developing another 6 photovoltaic plants collectively amounting to 1,300 MW.<ref name=eldiario /> The first [[Concentrated solar power|solar thermal power plant]] in the region, [[Alvarado I]], (50 MW) opened in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lacronicadebadajoz.elperiodicoextremadura.com/la-cronica-de-badajoz/2009/07/28/primera-termosolar-region-funciona-alvarado-45155426.html|website=La Crónica de Badajoz|title=La primera termosolar de la región funciona en Alvarado con 50 megavatios de potencia|publisher=[[El Periódico Extremadura]]|date=28 July 2009}}</ref>

A project to build a lithium-ion battery factory participated by [[Envision Energy|Envision]] in [[Navalmoral de la Mata]] was announced in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cope.es/emisoras/extremadura/caceres-provincia/caceres/noticias/oficial-habra-gigafactoria-baterias-litio-navalmoral-mata-20220603_2121302|title=Ya es oficial: habrá gigafactoría de baterías de litio en Navalmoral de la Mata|date=3 June 2022}}</ref>