Recent Dynamics in Portuguese SUB-Regions: An Application of the SHIFT-SHARE Method

Abstract

This research, oriented towards the growth of Portuguese regions at the NUTS III level, follows the shiftshare analysis methodology, which quantifies the growth rates and disaggregates them into their three components namely the national, structural and regional. The temporal horizon (1995-2010) was divided into a 1995-1999 series, encompassing the end of the 20th century, and a 2000-2010 series, encompassing the beginning of the 21st century. In both sub-periods, the GVA growth rates, presenting diversified behaviors as well as some stability, show that despite of significant advances in the quality of infrastructures and populations living conditions, both public policies and private investment have contributed to maintain the tendency for regional disparities to deepen over time.