Across the world, people’s daily activities centre around clusters of population and
economic activity. Settlements – cities, towns and villages – provide jobs and access
to services for their own residents and others nearby. The quality of access to those
services is key to promoting vibrant, inclusive and happier communities.
However, access is not always uniformly distributed within countries, with metropolitan
areas typically outperforming rural areas. This report looks at the interaction between
geography and access to services. It considers three main factors: (1) The size of
settlements; (2) Accessibility – the travel time associated with accessing settlements
via car and public transport modes; and (3) Services – public and private services
that are available and accessible across a variety of domains including health, finance
and education.
Numerous policy interventions hinge on improving service accessibility. Understanding
the complex interactions between geography, transportation infrastructure, and service
provision is essential for regional development policies and in particular for those
regions facing population decline.