Historical Regional Demographic Divergence in Latvia: Lessons of the Common Past with Eastern Partnership Countries

• Authors: Aleksandrs Dahs
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In recent decades, scientific literature on demographic research is increasing attention on spatial data analysis. It is considered a useful and reliable analysis methodology in evaluating complex regional development processes. However, due to its complexity and reliance on properly captured and quantified spatial relations, it remains a difficult topic for many scholars and practitioners. In Latvia, spatial demographic analysis may prove useful, providing opportunities for uncovering new dimensions of long-term regional demographic and economic development issues. Here, the author analyses spatial distribution aspects of key demographic indicators in Latvia’s municipalities, the associated socio-economic factors and their impact. The implications of the identified spatial processes and dependencies for regional development policy and aid are discussed, including possible lessons learned from or shared with the EU Eastern Partnership countries facing similar challenges.

Keywords

EN

exploratory data analysis; regional demographic convergence; regional development; spatial econometric analysis; time-series clustering

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Baltic Journal of European Studies
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 119-133

Dates

published

2014-10-01

online

2014-11-05

Contributors

author

Aleksandrs Dahs

• Centre for European and Transition Studies, University of Latvia Kalpaka blvd. 4, Riga LV-1586, Latvia

References

• Anselin, L. (1999), ‘Interactive Techniques and Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis,’ in P.A. Longley, M. F. Goodchild, D. J. Maguire & D. W. Rhind (eds.) Geographical Information Systems: Principles, Techniques, Management and Applications, Cambridge: Geoinformation Int., pp. 253-266.
• Berze, D. (1997), Okupētās Latvijas administratīvi teritoriālais iedalījums [in Latvian], Riga: National Archive Directorate.
• Brainerd, E. (2010), The Demographic Transformation of Post-Socialist Countries, Working paper, no. 15, The World Institute for Development Economics Research.
• Chawla, M.; Betcherman, G.; Banerji, A.; Bakilana, A.; Feher, C.; Mertaugh, M.; Puerta, M. L.; Schwartz, A. M.; Sondergaard, L. & Burns, A. (2007), From Red to Gray: The “Third Transition” of Aging Populations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Washington DC: The World Bank. http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-7129-9[Crossref]
• CSB (n.d.), Central Statistics Bureau of Latvia database. Retrieved from http://dati.csb.gov.lv [accessed 30 Jan 2014]
• Dorigo, G. & Tobler, W. (1983), ‘Push-Pull Migration Laws,’ Annals of the Association of American Geographers, vol. 73, no 1, pp. 1-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8306.1983.tb01392.x [Crossref]
• FSSS (2014), Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation population database. Retrieved from http://www.gks.ru [accessed 15 Feb 2014]
• Golc, G. A. (2004), ‘Dolgovremennye istoricheskie trendy kak faktor ekonomicheskogo prognozirovaniia: transport, ekonomika, demografiia,’ [in Russian] Problemy prognozirovaniia , vol. 2, pp. 25-35.
• Kavitha, V. & Punithavalli, M. (2010), ‘Clustering Time Series Data Stream - A Literature Survey,’ International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 289-294. Retrieved from http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.4270v1 [accessed 17 Feb 2014]
• Liao, T. W. (2005), ‘Clustering of Time Series Data-a Survey,’ Pattern Recognition, vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 1857-1874. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.patcog.2005.01.025[Crossref]
• MPIDR (2011), Project Population History GIS Collection, Project materials, Rostock: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. Retrieved from http://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/laboratories/historical_demography_892/projects/population_history_gis_collection_1556.htm [accessed 10 Feb 2014]
• Ramute, L. (2008), The Analysis and Optimisation of the Administrative-Territorial Division of Latvia, PhD thesis, Latvia University of Agriculture.
• Skinkis, P. (1999), Territories and Territorial Strategies in Latvia, PhD thesis, University of Latvia.
• SRDA (2012), Development of Regions in Latvia 2011, State Regional Development Agency Official Report, Riga: VRAA. Retrieved from http://www.vraa.gov.lv/uploads/regionuparskats/RegionuattistibaLatvija2011
• ENG_Q_ia kartes horizontali.pdf [accessed 1 Feb 2014]
• -- (2013), Attīstības centru ietekmes areālu noteikšana un analīze. Plānošanas reģionu, republikas pilsētu un novadu pašvaldību attīstības raksturojums, [in Latvian] State Regional Development Agency Official Report, Riga: VRAA.
• Retrieved from http://www.vraa.gov.lv/uploads/documents/petnieciba/petijumi/regionu_attist_final_2012.pdf [accessed 1 Feb 2014]
• Voss, P. R.; White, K. J. C. & Hammer, R. B. (2006), ‘Explorations in spatial demography,’ in W. Kandel & D. L. Brown (eds.) Population Change and Rural Society, Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 407-429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3902-6_19 [Crossref]
• The World Bank (1993), Latvia - the Transition to a Market Economy, A World Bank Country Study Series, Washington D.C: The World Bank Publications.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/bjes-2014-0019