Stronger regions within nations make for stronger nations

Extracted 18JUL2011 from http://www.oecd.org/document/25/0,3746,en_21571361_44315115_48338265_1_1_1_1,...

The gap between the rich and the poor can be as wide within countries as across countries, with wealth and services generally concentrated in cities. In part this reflects differences in the performance of regions, as across OECD countries 10% of regions are responsible for some 40% of national GDP and employment.

Taking advantage of the economic potential of all regions could help governments grow their national, regional and local economies. To inform their decisions, OECD’s Regions at a Glance and its accompanying interactive website provide regionally and nationally comparative statistics on factors which effect the economy and citizens’ quality of life in the OECD area and emerging economies.