The
Arctic Human Development Report (AHDR) as well as the publication
The Economy of the North The Economy of the North, and the
ArcticStat project have produced some of the first sets of
economic statistical data that were comparable across the circumpolar
region through the cooperation of international researchers and the
Arctic governments. This map shows disposal income levels per capita
across sub-national units in the Arctic region from 2005.
The
Arctic Human Development Report (AHDR) as well as the publication
The Economy of the North The Economy of the North, and the
ArcticStat project have produced some of the first sets of
economic statistical data that were comparable across the circumpolar
region through the cooperation of international researchers and the
Arctic governments. This map shows disposal income levels per capita
across sub-national units in the Arctic region from 2005.
The Economy of the North points out that economic data can often be misleading when dealing with northern regions. Because of their small populations, relative dependence on resource-extraction activities and transfer payments, and the prevalence of 'non-cash' subsistence activities, economic measures designed for national economies do not always do a good job of capturing what is really going on in northern economies. The authors warn that although northern territories often have relatively high levels of GDP per capita, this can be misleading:
"One should be aware, though, that high GDP per capita levels do not automatically transform to high levels of disposable income and/or consumption, in particular not in the regions with substantial extractive industries. On the one hand, resource rents and return to capital may be transferred out of the region to capital owners. Although, these figures will still add to regional GDP, they will not be available for consumption or saving in the region. On the other hand, direct state transfers will contribute to per capita levels of disposable income and/or consumption, but will not show up in regional GDP figures. Hence, a ranking of regional disposable income levels or consumption levels in the Arctic may follow a different order from GDP per capita."
(Chapter 2: The economy of the circumpolar Arctic,
The Economy of the North, p.17)
Sources:
ArcticStatArctic Human Development ReportThe Economy of the North
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