Multi-Scale Analysis and Modelling of Spatial Heterogeneity of Income Distribution in Foreign Countries

Abstract

The article deals with the level of socioeconomic development and regional inequality within the territories of countries around the world. The evaluation of the socioeconomic development of countries is proposed by calculating the indicator of gross regional product per unit area. Calculation and mapping of socioeconomic features are provided by the indicator of GRP per sq. km. The analysis of relative GRP per sq. km indicates that the countries of the world can be classified as developed and developing not only by the level of socioeconomic development, but also by the nature of regional inequality. It has been established that the relative GRP distribution is more gradual in developed countries, while developing countries tend to have a high concentration of economic resources in capitals. The calculation of the geographical generalization ratio indicates that for many developed countries (the USA, European countries) the greatest increase in information on the heterogeneity of space occurs at the upper scale level, while for most of the studied developing countries (China, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina) the largest increase is at the lower scale levels. Calculation of the spatial autocorrelation model made it possible to establish the differences between developed and developing countries in terms of the nature of spatial inequality: based on the difference between real and modelled values of spatial autocorrelation. The proposed method of spatial analysis of the distribution of indicators of economic well-being using the methods of spatial statistics can act as an alternative to the criteria traditionally accepted in the economy for determining the developed and developing countries of the world.