The map shows Europe’s regional disparities in the high-technology and knowledge-intensive sectors as a proportion of total employment in 2016.
The blue tones indicate the total work force of employment in high-technology and knowledge-intensive sectors in the European regions in 2016. The darker the blue, the stronger the work force of employment in high-technology and knowledge-intensive sectors. The violet colour represents the regions with the highest work force of employment in high-technology and knowledge-intensive sectors. The grey colour indicates no data.
Knowledge-intensive sectors play an essential role in facilitating innovation and economic growth across various sectors as they contribute to the renewal and growth of other businesses by creating fertile ground for innovations and the diffusion of novel practices. Apart from the Nordic countries, high levels of employment in the knowledge-intensive sectors are usually observed in European capital regions or regions close to capitals or other large cities. Examples here include Zürich (Switzerland) and Berlin (Germany) where the share of employment in technology and knowledge-intensive sectors accounts for 54.6% and 54.5% respectively. Other European regions with high shares of employment in the technology and knowledge-intensive sectors include several regions in Southern England and South-Eastern Scotland (the UK); several regions around Liège (Belgium); Groningen, Noord-Holland and Utrecht (the Netherlands); Île-de-France and Corse (France); Luxembourg; Prague (Czech Republic) and Vienna (Austria).
