Daily commuting of active population in Greece and spatial differentiation of the phenomenon

Abstract

In our time, aging phenomenon is an important issue for all European countries. Its intensity and development as well as the diversity as regards types of aging highlight the need for an alternative approach that would contribute to better understand the effects of this phenomenon. In some cases, the aging process is associated with a relative population growth, especially in rural areas. This evolution is the result of the installation of aging population, causing -positive and negative- effects reflecting the complexity of the phenomenon. Consequently, the study of aging should go beyond the analysis of national trends, while it seems necessary to propose more appropriate methodological approaches. From a methodological point of view, rural areas are of particular interest because they present at various levels important heterogeneity. The first objective of this paper is to produce, at low level of spatial resolution, a typology of aging for the rural areas of Greece. The second objective is to investigate to what extent this typology produces homogeneous groups of spatial entities, with distinct characteristics and more over different perspectives.