Table 1

Postindustrial regions used in the study, by location, characteristics and population of districts

Region nameNation stateNumber of districtsMean population size of districtsPrincipal historical industriesTotal industrial employment loss*
West Central ScotlandUK15† (7)‡141 268† (302 084)‡Shipbuilding and support industries (iron, coal, engineering)−62% (1971–2005)
Northern IrelandUK12147 900Shipbuilding, textiles, manufacturing−20% (1971–2005)
MerseysideUK9149 532Shipping, docks, manufacturing (eg, cement), engineering−63% (1971–2005)
Swansea and South Wales CoalfieldsUK7160 486Coal−51% (1971–2005)
Nord-Pas-de-CalaisFrance25160 746Coal, textiles, steel−43% (1970–2005)
WalloniaBelgium11309 542Mining, metal working, textiles−39% (1970–2005)
The RuhrGermany15351 912Coal, iron, steel−54% (1970–2005)
SaxonyGermany19224 934Steel, construction, engineering, textiles−47% (1991–2005)
Northern MoraviaCzech Republic11§185 099Coal, steel−19% (1993–2005)
Silesia¶Poland29159 858Coal, steel, automobiles, zinc−55% (1980–2005)

  • *Percentage decrease in the number of industrial jobs in each region over the time period shown in parentheses.

  • For Silesia, change is shown for the Katowice subregion.

  • †Community health partnerships.

  • ‡Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS) 3.

  • §Jesenik district included in small district comparisons only.

  • ¶Known as the Slaskie region in Poland.