Live data from Hacker News

An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

citylab.com

1–10 of 63 posts

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#2
There are some really interesting things on that map. The apparent huge influx of people into France and the UK is one. Another amazing thing is that after what I think is around $1 trillion dollars spent in former east German states post reunification, the outflow of people still looks to be strong.

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#3
post #2

There are some really interesting things on that map. The apparent huge influx of people into France and the UK is one. Another amazing thing is that after what I think is around $1 trillion dollars spent in former east German states post reunification, the outflow of people still looks to be strong.

If you read some of the more nationalistic UK press, you would have expected the UK to be a much deeper red. Even the major connurbations don't seem to have seen as much change as I was expecting.

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#4
post #3
post #2

There are some really interesting things on that map. The apparent huge influx of people into France and the UK is one. Another amazing thing is that after what I think is around $1 trillion dollars spent in former east German states post reunification, the outflow of people still looks to be strong.

If you read some of the more nationalistic UK press, you would have expected the UK to be a much deeper red. Even the major connurbations don't seem to have seen as much change as I was expecting.

Nothing like the red in Ireland! Although that is largely mitigating previous outflows.

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#5
post #2

There are some really interesting things on that map. The apparent huge influx of people into France and the UK is one. Another amazing thing is that after what I think is around $1 trillion dollars spent in former east German states post reunification, the outflow of people still looks to be strong.

Isn't a lot of it due to greater urbanization? While the rural areas lose people, not only does Berlin grow but also Leipzig, Dresden, Magdeburg and Rostock.

I think the map show no major city in eastern Germany actually losing population.

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#7
Ireland is interesting. It's long been the sick man in terms of population growth since 1845 up until the late 1980s and now is the odd man out in Europe as being one of the few countries that can grow its population.

Ireland has had a recession since 2008 but ended last year with a return to slow growth and during this time had high unemployment and high emigration. It's expected to be the fastest growing European economy by far over the next 12 months. Still Irelands prosperity, high minimum wage and generous welfare benefits are attracting immigration from Eastern Europe and North Africa in particular. This compounded with Irelands high fertility rate accentuates her population growth above her neighbours.

These trends are expected to continue even as Europe exits recession and returns to growth.

The images surprised me though - it suggests all of Ireland is growing somewhat evenly when the truth is that while most if is growing Dublin and her surrounding area and Cork are growing much faster than the rest and the picture doesn't indicate that though I'm sure the data will.

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#9
"Scotland’s Northeast shows remarkable population gains, a likely result of the North Sea oil industry concentrated in Aberdeen."

I think you can probably explain the two red blobs near Aberdeen on oil and the wealth it has brought to that area but at least one of the other red blobs further west must be the Aviemore/Strathspey area which has become incredibly popular for outdoor sports and general high quality of life.

Amusingly, although Aviemore is described as a "boom town" it's population only grew by 36% in the decade to 2011 adding an extra 956 people :-)

http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News/Aviemore-hailed-as-a...

Re: An Incredibly Detailed Map of Europe's Population Shifts

#10
post #2

There are some really interesting things on that map. The apparent huge influx of people into France and the UK is one. Another amazing thing is that after what I think is around $1 trillion dollars spent in former east German states post reunification, the outflow of people still looks to be strong.

"still looks to be strong"

As you know, you can't tell that from this picture. An area that has had large annual population decreases for the first 5 years, and slower growth for the second 5 will still show up as red.

Also, quite a bit of the population decreases in the countryside will be of people moving into the cities.

Because of differences in population density, that can give the impression of population decline where there is none.

Looking at Germany, for me the picture 'confirms' that their population is shrinking (no growth in the west, apparent decrease in the east) that makes the strong growth of their economy in the past years even more of a miracle.

Post reply on HN