|
In our globalized economy regions matter more than ever. The performance of regional economies and the effectiveness of regional policy will help determine a nation’s growth and shape the measure of well-being across the entire OECD map. In recent years, around 40% of OECD output and job creation were generated by only 10% of regions. And disparities in the economic output growth rates among regions within the same country have been persistently high.
Policy makers need sound statistical information on the source of regional competitiveness, but such information is not always available. Sub-national data are limited and regional indicators difficult to compare among countries. The OECD has developed different tools to answer the increasing demand for statistical information at the regional level.
The OECD Regional Database provides a unique set of comparable statistics and indicators on about 2000 regions in 30 countries. It currently encompasses yearly time-series for around 40 indicators of demography, economic accounts, labour market, social and innovation themes in the 30 OECD member countries. Regions in OECD member countries have been classified according to two territorial levels (TL) to facilitate international comparability. The higher level (Territorial level 2) consists of macro-regions, while the lower level (Territorial level 3) is composed of micro-regions. In addition, OECD small regions (Territorial level 3) are classified according to their geography into predominantly rural, intermediate or predominantly urban.
The OECD Regional Database can be displayed and analysed through the leading web-tool OECD eXplorer which combines interactive maps with other visual presentations in a user-customised and effective way.
The series OECD Regions at a Glance compares major regional patterns and trends across OECD countries and diffuses the statistical tools elaborated by the Working Party on Territorial Indicators for the analysis of regional economies.
The Working Party on Territorial Indicators brings together international experts from all OECD countries to carry out statistical work on the measurement of regional economies.
For more information please contact Monica Brezzi Monica.brezzi@oecd.org or GOV.regionstat@oecd.org.
Permanent URL: www.oecd.org/gov/regional/statisticsindicators
|