Georeferenced data as a tool for monitoring the concentration of population in Finland in 1970–1998

Abstract

Changes in the distribution of population in Finland over the period 1970–1998 are examined in terms of a co-ordinate system of 1 x 1 km grid cells. The results indicate that this system provides suitable areal units for a variety of statistical and GIS methods aimed at describing and explaining the spatial distribution of population. The system is capable of yielding more detailed information than heretofore on topics such as the concentration of population in the urban centres of Finland – a process that has been going on since the beginning of the last century, but has slowed down noticeably in the recent years.