European Union (EU) Member States are often compared with each other, but in reality it can be difficult to contrast small countries like Luxembourg or Malta with larger ones such as France or Germany. Analysing data at a regional level can highlight disparities either across the EU or within countries, such as an east-west divide in Germany or a north-south divide in Italy.
This interactive digital publication Regions in Europe — statistics visualised presents data for 240 EU regions, as well as regions from the United Kingdom and the EFTA countries . At the heart of regional statistics is the NUTS classification which aims to ensure that regions can be compared with each other. This classification is composed of different hierarchical levels; this publication is based primarily on NUTS level 2.
Have a closer look at the map to see the names of the regions covered.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has changed the EU and the world profoundly and it may have lasting effects on a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues in the years to come. These effects are not yet visible in the 2020 edition of this publication, since all statistical results refer to earlier reference years, but the pandemic has already led to an increased demand for more subnational data to support statistical analysis at regional and local level.
Regions in Europe — statistics visualised offers a range of interactive visualisations accompanied by short texts that allow you to get a deeper understanding of the situation across European regions. The publication is divided into three principal sections: people and society, economic activities, the environment and natural resources.
Scroll down, play around with the visualisations, choose a region and compare.
Regions in Europe
Statistics visualised
Population change
Median age
Population density
Main causes of death
Education
Alongside health, education is often considered as one of the most important investments a country can make in its people. What is the most common level of education attained in your region and how easy is it for recent graduates with at least an upper secondary level of education to find employment?
Education attainment
Employment rate of recent graduates
Labour market
High participation rates within the labour market is a key factor for combating social exclusion, and a way for people to get independence, financial security and sense of belonging. What is the situation in your region? Is there a difference in employment rates between men and women?
Employment rate
Unemployment rate
Making use of the internet
Economic activities
Economy
The central measure of economic output is gross domestic product (GDP) . It provides information on the monetary value of all goods and services that are produced within a country or a region. What level of economic output was recorded in the regions where you live, study or work? Which part of the economy contributed the most value added in these regions?
Gross domestic product
Agriculture, industry and services
Research and development
Investing in research and innovation has the potential to improve the daily lives of millions of people, both within the EU and elsewhere, by helping to solve some of the world’s largest societal and generational challenges. How does your region fare in terms of its R&D expenditure? What share of your region’s workforce is employed as R&D personnel?
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D
R&D personnel by sector
Tourism
The wealth of Europe’s cultures, the variety of its landscapes and the quality of its tourist infrastructure are likely to be among the reasons why more than one third of the world’s international tourists took their holidays in the EU in 2018 according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) .
Is your region among the most frequented tourist destinations in the EU? Is it mostly visited by domestic or foreign tourists? How did the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation develop over recent years?
Nights spent
Developments between 2012 and 2018
Environment and natural resources
Road safety
Environment
The effects of certain phenomena — for example, the rapid disappearance of vast areas of forest — have contributed towards a growing awareness and recognition that land is a finite resource and its use constitutes one of the principal drivers of environmental change.