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The Spatial Distribution of Economic Activities in the European Union

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  • Pierre-Philippe Combes
  • Henry Overman

Abstract

This paper considers the spatial distribution of economic activities in the European Union. It has three main aims. (i) To describe the data that is available in the EU and give some idea of the rich spatial data sets that are fast becoming available at the national level. (ii) To present descriptive evidence on the location of aggregate activity and particular industries and to consider how these location patterns are changing over time. (iii) To consider the nature of the agglomeration and dispersion forces that determine these patterns and to contrast them to forces acting elsewhere, in particular the US. Our survey suggests that much has been achieved in the wave of empirical work that has occurred in the past decade, but that much work remains to be done.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre-Philippe Combes & Henry Overman, 2003. "The Spatial Distribution of Economic Activities in the European Union," CEP Discussion Papers dp0587, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp0587
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Location; European Union; descriptive statistics; empirical studies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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