Sborník 2009 díl 2. - Fakulta informatiky a managementu - Univerzita ...

Małgorzata Markowska, Danuta Strahl CONVERGENCE OF GDP PER CAPITA IN CZECH,
POLISH AND SLOVAK REGIONS AT THE BACKGROUND OF THE EUROPEAN SPACE
159,5%), Lubelskie (107 – 159,3%), Moravskoslezsko (119 – 156,3%), Opolskie (130 –
154,7%), Jihozápad (135 – 153,1%), Jihovýchod (137 – 153%), Severovýchod (157 –
147,9%), Strední Morava (187 – 143%), Severozápad (230 – 134,3%).
The analyzed regions of the European Union NUTS 2 level were, both in 1995 and in
2005, highly diversified with regard to GDP per capita. It seems enough to point out
that the region representing the lowest level of development in 1995 (Rumanian Nord-
Est – 2968) had this indicator almost 13 times smaller than Région de Bruxelles-
Capitale (38291,2), also in 2005 the relation was very similar and amounted to 12,5 (the
highest GDP per capita for Inner London and the lowest again in Nord-Est). In the
group of Czech regions in 1995 the due relation equaled 1,98 and in 2005 - 2,7, while in
Polish regions respectively 1,7 and 2,3 and finally in Slovakia 2,8 and 3,4.
Conclusions
The conducted research facilitates the conclusion that in the period of 1995 – 2005 in
the European regional space there occurred sigma type convergence processes in
regional development measured by GDP per capita, with simultaneous occurrence of an
increase in regional development level. The convergence intensity is better noticeable
within the whole European space of NUTS 2 level, so the picture is clearer in the group
of all 27 regions (group I), or 25 (group II) of EU countries rather than in just the
studied ones, i.e. in Czech, Polish and Slovak regions. In the light of the conducted
research it should be assumed that the developmental disproportions between regions of
EU countries will become slightly smaller, while the Central European regional space
covering The Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia is becoming more and more
polarized. This may mean that the regions of EU 2004 accession countries still present a
diversified level of readiness for the absorption of aid funds, as well as opportunities for
making the developmental processes more dynamic. However, it has to be noticed that
the significant dynamics of capital regions in The Czech Republic, Slovakia and also
Poland results in developmental impulses for the whole country, which establishes
better relations among NUTS 2 level regions in the overall European space.
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