Demography, Economy and Urbanization: A Demo-Economic Regional Simulation Model

Since 1997, the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) has been involved in a project aimed at simulating regional demographic and economic dynamics, and the linkages with urban land use in north-west Europe. This project is financed by the Spatial Planning Office (RPD) of the Ministry of Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM), and will result in a computer simulation model known as Decores. The model aims to assist planners and policy-makers to identify the consequences of demographic change at the regional level for regional labour markets and the impacts of regional labour markets processes on regional population dynamics. In addition, it assesses the implications of population and economic growth for urban land use change and those of increased urbanization and congestion for regional allocation of the population.