Abstract

Multi-local living and spatial interaction are expected to change the picture of regional development, as they emphasize the seasonal and interrelated use of areas. The article focusses on questions: What kind of spatial formation is the regional structure in Finland divided, and how common are these spatial formations in the regional structure? The results from the spatial cluster analysis show that the development of the regional structure is more diverse than previously known. Geographically, the dominating areas are seasonally growing areas which had remarkable increase in the seasonal use of areas. The results also showed that growth was more common in the regional structure than previously known, and the growth network extended from southern Finland to Lapland. The spatial formation of the stagnating areas was previously known to be narrower and more fragmented, as only a quarter of the surface area was classified as stagnating areas. The identifying of the diversity of the regional structure is essential for producing an exact picture of regional development for the needs of regional development and policy.