State Of The Nordic Region 2018 An Introduction

State of the Nordic Region and a range of other publications are a result of the Nordic Council of Ministers placing greater emphasis on providing and sharing knowledge and insight with decision makers throughout the Region. State of the Nordic Region compiles knowledge and information that provides a holistic perspective on developments in the Region and helps decision-makers to draw up new policies. It highlights our successes and sheds light on the challenges we face in key areas of society. State of the Nordic Region is produced by Nordregio, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ research centre for regional development and planning, which has produced similar reports for a number of years but has now embarked on a series of more ambitious ones. As well as demographics, the economy and the labour market, State of the Nordic Region contains chapters on digitalisation, bio-economics, health and culture.

State of the Nordic Region 2018 Migration and Integration presents a series of facts and figures showing the current state of integration within core socioeconomic sectors, including demography, the labour force, health, and foreign background in state funded culture in the Nordic Region. The report is produced by Nordregio, an international research center for regional development and planning established by the Nordic Council of Ministers, on behalf of Nordic Welfare Centre and the programme Nordic co-operation on integration of refugees and migrants, along with Nordic Agency for Cultural Policy Analysis. The report is partly based on State of the Nordic Region 2018, which is a unique compilation of statistics and maps, giving a detailed view of the Nordic countries at both national and regional level.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2020-001/ Abstract [en] State of the Nordic Region 2020 gives you a unique look behind the scenes of the world’s most integrated region, comprised of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, along with the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. The report presents a series of facts and figures showing the current state of play within core socioeconomic sectors, including demography, labour market and economy. In addition, you can read about wellbeing and energy pathways towards a carbon neutral Nordic Region. State of the Nordic Region 2020 is published by the Nordic Council of Ministers and produced by Nordregio, an international research center for regional development and planning established by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

This Special Edition aims to complement State of the Nordic Region 2020 by taking an in-depth look at some of the factors that contribute to wellbeing and health in the Nordic Region, and exploring how digitalisation in health care and social care can contribute to wellbeing. The report illustrates the central role of demography, whereby the composition and the spatial patterns of the population together with socio-economic factors contribute to shaping the living conditions and wellbeing in different parts of the Nordic Region. Despite a general pattern of urban regions being richer, more well educated and living longer, we also find many thriving rural areas attracting new young residents. Digital infrastructure plays a crucial role for the development of those rural areas.

In this report, we describe efforts to achieve faster integration of refugees and foreign-born residents in the labour market in the Nordic region. The examples presented in the report have been selected by our group of Nordic experts. In selecting examples, they have focused on the integration initiatives deemed to have the greatest likelihood of being implemented in their neighbouring countries. This selection is based on the knowledge gained from research and the recommendations made by our Nordic co-operation partners. In this report we have also sought to give a brief description of current research and knowledge regarding effective measures and the possible challenges facing refugees in the labour markets in the Nordic Region. For more information visit www.integrationnorden.org