The Coastal regions of Europe: economic development at the turn of the 20th century

Abstract

This article explores the current condition and spatial dynamics of the key socioeconomic processes in the coastal zone of the European subcontinent at the turn of the 20th century. Europe is a region where the "coastal component" of socioeconomic development plays a major role and is therefore one of the most interesting objects for research in this field. Russian geographical proximity to the European countries, a significant number of shared problems, and a considerable potential for cooperation in solving them and developing the world ocean's resources create grounds for an integrated study of European coastal regions. The author analyses Russian findings in the field of the socioeconomic development of coastal regions. The differences in the natural and socioeconomic conditions and resources along a significant portion of the European coastline necessitate the zoning of subcontinent's coastal territories and contiguous water areas. The findings of EU maritime research constitute the economic and statisti cal basis of the study, whose author, relying on necessary calculations, proposes a new concept of coastal regions.The study identifies significant differences in the nature and trends in the development of European coastal regions in the first decade of the 21st century. Thus, Russian coastal regions show the most dynamic development rate. In general, coastal regions are not superior to inland European regions in terms of major development rates.