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Geography, population profiles
The German-Polish border region can be characterised in terms of its urban network and demographics as a semi-rural periphery with discrete islands of industrial activity. Most of the border area has a very low population density (below 50 inh. per sq. kilometre); important regional centres are the important Baltic sea part of Szczecin, and in the lower reaches along the Neiße the cities of Görlitz, Zittau and Jelenia Gora.
 - Project Coordinator: Dr. James Scott
Attempts to stabilise the urban population were undertaken during the socialist period through industrialisation programmes. With the collapse of the these industries after 1989, outmigration and depopulation have been a serious problem. Many young job seekers have forsake the region for the larger centres of East and West Germany and, to a degree, in Poland whereby the outmigration phenomenon has not equally affected the Polish centres in the region. These phenomena have led to high vacancy rates in urban housing estates and higher concentration of ageing and non-active populations.
Socio-economic and political situation of the area
Much of the region struggles with a stagnant economy and high unemployment in terms of the German and Polish national averages. Deindustrialisation has been particularly severe on the German side, affecting Frankfurt (Oder), Görlitz and numerous smaller centres. Investment capital is scarce and there is as yet much too little innovative economic activity. Polish centres (especially Szczecin) have profited from growth in services, finance-oriented activities, Direct Foreign Investment and cross-border retailing. Politically the region is stable and unproblematic. However, Polish-German animosities can flare up locally and have been exacerbated in the past by the activities of radical right-wing German youth. Principal cross-border co-operation challenges
The primary challenges that cross-border co-operation must address are rather numerous. They involve among others: cross-border crime and smuggling of illegal immigrants, flood prevention, the development of effective emergency services, greater co-ordination in the area of economic development, improvements in cross-border infrastructure for commercial and passenger traffic at the local and regional levels, and, finally, cultural understanding.
Overview of research carried out on the case study area
Since 1990 extensive research has been carried out on co-operation in the region. Much of it, however, has either been descriptive and policy-oriented and/or focused on local detail without establishing clear relationships to overlying co-operation contexts.
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