Empirical evidence of regional population concentration in Europe, 1870–2000

✍ Scribed by Jordi Martí-Henneberg

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 415 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1544-8444
• DOI: 10.1002/psp.373

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This paper presents empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that, over time, Europe's population has undergone progressive regional concentration. Using data at the regional level from the first (1870) until the most recent (2000) available censuses, it is shown that the most densely populated areas in 1870 have continued to absorb subsequent population increase, and that as a result, territorial inequalities with respect to population have been exacerbated. Our main contribution consists of measuring this phenomenon and studying the spatial distribution of population in Europe from a historical perspective. For example, a high correlation (0.83) was found between the population density patterns for 1870 and 2000. These results allow a better understanding of the organisation of European society and more specifically of the phenomenon of counter‐urbanisation, which has traditionally been observed at the local level but not at the regional one. To make this possible, we have built a new and comprehensive database on the distribution of population in Central and Western Europe between 1870 and 2000. In this paper we explain the methodology followed, which involves the combination of historical information from a variety of sources, to produce a homogeneous, regional‐scale database that considers changes in European administrative borders within recent history. This database has been produced to trace the evolution of regional population throughout this period and to provide an insight into the most important long‐term trends and spatial patterns affecting European population. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.