Convergence among Spanish Autonomous Regions: a first approach

Abstract

Regional convergence is a subject that very frequently appears in reviews, conferences, university publications and others. Surprisingly, the information given reaches contradictory conclusions. In some cases it is said that a process of approximation between Spanish regions has taken place and in others the opposite is stated. On the other hand, the aims of the various studies related to this question are very different, so sometimes convergence of European regions (including Spain) is studied, either in the 15 or the 25 member countries; sometimes convergence of Spanish provinces is studied; sometimes the divergence of regions either in Spain or in the EU. It is also important to establish exactly what variable is used to measure convergence of income per capita, GDP, variations in GDP, productivity, employment etc.; in this field there are also approaches that hardly coincide. All of these questions have undergone bibliographical research, whose first conclusions, not exhaustive, are the subject of this text.