ABSTRACT
On a European scale there is little chance of reaching consensus on what is meant by rural. States such as Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Sweden all classify as rural those administrative units that fall below defined population thresholds for urban zones. The thresholds adopted, however, are markedly different between states. Within the European Community some nations, like Greece, Ireland and Portugal, possess a rurality which extends to almost the whole of a nation. There are also the urban-centred ruralities of south east England, the Paris Basin and the Randstadt. There is also much variation in the contribution of agriculture to regional economies. In general, countries cannot be placed on a simple scale with regard to production and employment criteria. The chapter also explores the extent to which cross-national similarities in socioeconomic circumstances can be identified which point to underlying consistencies in rural development prospects at a regional level.
