The role of neighbourhood in the regional distribution of Europe

The role of geographical space in social and economic research has gained more importance, resulting in the increasing significance of mathematical-statistical methods. In order to determine the cause and effect relationship more thoroughly, factors representing territories have also been taken into account. These numerical factors are called geographical parameters, and with their assistance the importance of proximity in the spatial division of society and economy is revealed. It is important to mention that thematic maps are used to visually present the distribution, implying a connection between the geographical space and certain phenomenon. In comparison spatial inequality indicators are used to measure the level of and change in distribution, but neither of them provides information on the role of spatiality. In order to gain information on these factors we need more complex methods and geographical parameters. The most common spatial variables are distance, neighbourhood, borders, and geographical latitude and longitude. From the above mentioned factors I am going to be concerned primarily with neighbourhood. The analysis of neighbouring relationships is one of the major issues today, as more and more cases have shown that the influence of neighbours should also be taken into consideration. Waldo Tobler’s statement made in 1970 “everything is related to everything else, but closer things are more closely related” is considered to be the first law of geography (Tobler 1970). Previous studies on the same subject also testify to the importance of the influence of neighbours on the differences in development in Europe (Ertur & Le Gallo 2000, Tóth 2003, Szabó 2006). In my study I examine the extent to which neighbouring regions in Europe are similar to each other regarding their economic development; how the high and low values are distributed in a given region, and whether they are clustered or random. Both European and regional processes are examined, which allows the findings of the whole process to be interpreted more clearl