Socio-Economic Regions

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A Socio-economic Region is a region defined by its wealth and economic status. Regions are either "core" or "peripheral"

Core Regions

Core regions have well-developed, urban-based economies.
They have a high per capita income, generally 10% higher than the EU average.
Living standards are high, which is a sign of a wealthy population.
There is high population density, particularly of young people of working age. This is due to inward migration.
Core regions have advanced technologies, communications, and infrastructure.
There is low unemployment and high productivity levels.
Examples include Dublin and the Paris Basin.

Peripheral regions are underdeveloped.
They have a harsh climate and landscape.
Per capita income is generally 10% lower than the EU average.
Living standards are low, which is a sign of a poor population.
There is low inward migration of people of working age. The overall population density is low.
Peripheral regions lack advanced technologies and infrastructure, resulting in high unemployment and low productivity levels.
Examples include the West of Ireland and the Mezzogiorno

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A region of industrial decline is a region which has had its main industry struggle, leading to worsening economic conditions.

Located in Wallonia, Belgium, stretching 150 km from the French border.
Home to large coalfields, it played a significant role in the industrial revolution of the 19th century.
It became a core region in Belgium and Europe as inward migration occurred from all areas of Belgium and Europe – at its peak, 120 mines employed 120,000 people.
After the 1950s, the coalfields declined because the best coal was exhausted after 150 years of production, industries were attracted to Poland for cheaper coal, and oil and gas replaced coal as cheaper, cleaner energy sources.
The last coalfield closed in 1984, leaving the landscape covered in slag heaps, and causing high unemployment. Flanders replaced Wallonia as the economic core of Belgium.
Belgium and the EU invested in the area to try and revive it by improving communication links, building new industrial estates and upgrading the airport, cleaning up the landscape, and retraining workers in modern manufacturing skills.
The area has shown some growth with further EU investment in environmental schemes and worker retraining, but it is still less developed than the new economic core of Wallonia.

Coal slag heaps are signs of areas suffering from industrial decline