The Nordic countries share many common characteristics when it comes to demographic and socio-economic development. Increasing urbanization, mobility and ageing of the population receive increasing attention and will have a crucial impact on the future of Nordic cities and regions.
Welfare systems in the Nordic countries are characterized by a high level of general welfare for citizens, financed from general taxation and a generous system of public welfare services. However, there have been important changes in the Nordic welfare systems in recent years; including increasing marketization of the public sector, reductions in social security expenditure and changes in labour-market regulations. The Nordic welfare systems are also challenged by globalization, urbanization and other "megatrends". The economic crisis that started in 2008 has also affected the Nordic countries, even though it has been less severe than in other parts of Europe.
Different regions and municipalities in the Nordic countries are struck by trends and crises in different ways. Many peripheral and sparsely populated areas are characterized by ageing populations and outmigration, notable among young people and especially women. Many small towns in the Nordic countries are characterized by structural unemployment due to the shift from production-based to knowledge-based economy. The large city-regions on the other hand are experiencing strong in-migration and sustained economic growth but, in many cases, a widening socio-economic gap, which is often correlated with ethnic background, and is evident at the neighbourhood scale. The large city-regions are therefore facing challenges when it comes to providing housing, infrastructure and public transport, services and social cohesion, to name a few.
Nordregio's research in this field comprises a range of studies dealing with both quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the impact of demographic and socio-economic development on different territories in the Nordic countries.
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