Economic convergence : a regional and subregional approach

Economic convergence: a regional and subregional view Manuel Pérez Montiel Gislaine Cristina de Souza Rech Judite Sanson de Bem The study of economic convergence among nations is based on the initial work of Barro and Sala-i-Martin (1991), a topic of spatial econometric analysis Recently, research on economic convergence have been directed towards smaller spatial scales: regions in a country and urban regions and microregions in a Region. Economic convergence is a structural process, which occurs in the long term. The availability of comprehensive information and accurate for very long periods of time, and new processing techniques of spatial information,allows to study of economic convergence processes from a more detailed view. In this paper it is postulated that the processes of economic convergence, regional and subregional level, are produced according to different models. It tries to identify these different patterns of economic convergence within a nation or a region. We show, first, a model that identifies the different types of convergence that may occur simultaneously in the process of economic convergence of the spatial units of a region or sub-areas of a region. We study the dynamics of population and GDP in each subarea and shows how the convergence process can take place according to different guidelines. To Implement the model we can use two types of tools: a) the statistical treatment of available databases detailed spatial scale-provinces, urban regions and cities. b) the generation of graphs and maps with GIS tools. The model presented in this document is tested by applying it to the process of economic convergence in the long term in Spain, on the study period 1957 - 2006 and as spatial units, the provinces. For the period 1957 to 1991, we use the publications of the studies service of Banco de Bilbao on Spain's national income and its regional distribution. for the period 1986-2006 we use the statistical series of the National Institute of Statistics. Results show that economic convergence in Spain has occurred following different patterns.