Economic spatial structure analysis: focus on Great Britain

Abstract

The demand for knowledge about the economic spatial structure has increased a lot in recent decades. This is thanks to the establishment of the European Economic Communities and the territorial organizations experienced worldwide. This interest is shown by the fact that more and more universities, research institutes and scientific societies are putting this field at the center of their investigations. The main goal of the research work is to analyze the main macro-level economic and social processes in Great Britain and the factors that influence them. During the research work, secondary data from state internet databases operated and maintained by the United Kingdom. Among the online databases, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) site, which prepares statistical reports, and Migration Watch UK, which provides data on migration processes, can be highlighted. The given topic is very timely even today, since in recent years the wave caused by Brexit has turned many people's interest towards the fate of the British nation. All three countries in Great Britain showed population growth between the 2011 and 2021 censuses. The highest percentage increase was in England where the population increased by 3.4 million, a rise of 6.5% between 2011 and 2021. The exceptional increase in the population of England compared to Wales and Scotland is mainly due to workers immigrating to England and their family members. The fertility rate has been decreasing since 2012 and is currently 1.61, so net migration has been the main driver of population change since the 1990s. Since 2001, 84% of the average annual population growth is due to immigration, but the effect is unevenly distributed in space. Immigrants now make up 5 million of the capital's total population of 9 million, i.e. approximately 55%. Overall, it can be said and statistically demonstrated that in the economy of the island nation, a significant, positive, close connection can be shown between the destination of immigrants' settlement and economic development. Great Britain's economy is "doing good" and influenced in a positive direction by the large number of qualified economic residents.