Restructuring in sparse regional structures - a Swedish case

This paper visualizes and analyses demographic and socio-economic changes in a local labour market perspective. The territorial context is a part of the sparsely populated northern coastal area of Sweden, representing a wide range of differences in conditions and development patterns. The area is divided into two local labour markets with a highway as the main connecting link. The study puts attention on processes of change between 1990 and 2002. The analysis is based on georeferenced data with a high spatial resolution and to personal attributes linked to each inhabitant. The paper illustrates spatial structures and processes of change in terms of population, employment, and people with a higher education. In particular, the different development patterns within urban and rural parts of the area, where we find strongly contrasting growing and declining settlements, is discussed in relation to theoretical notions on the role of social capital and creative class. The concluding part is devoted to a discussion of future perspectives for the different parts of the area and appropriate planning approaches.