Regional economic development, human capital and transport infrastructure in Greece: the role of geography

This chapter discusses the impact of human capital endowment and transport infrastructure on regional economic development and growth in Greece, with a special focus on the role of geography. The relationship between regional development, human capital and transport infrastructure is far less direct and is, indeed, complex. Geography plays an important role in the functioning and performance of regional economies in general and the Greek economy in particular. Both first nature of geography factors (i.e. physical geography of regions) and second nature of geography factors (i.e. geography of distance between economic agents) moderate this relationship. This chapter also draws out a number of implications with regard to the role of regional economic policy