REGION CRETE
''Demographic Elements
The population of Region Crete is in 562.276 residents according to the estimate of GREEK NATIONAL STATISTICAL ORGANISATION for 1998, that is the 5,3% of total population of country. The rythm of increase of population of Region is almost double than the rythm of increase of population of country in the period of six-year 93-98 (2,58% opposite 1,56%). The demographic density of region Crete is smaller corresponding national (67,5 against 79,7 residents per square kilometre).
The urban population amounts in the 42% of total population (1991) and presents tendency of increase concerning 1981. The rural population amounts in the 46% of total and it presents reduction, while the semi-urban population remains constant and amounts in the 12% of total.
''Regional GNP (Gross national product)
The per capita GNP of Region Crete is higher than the corresponding medium per capita GNP of country. Concretely amounts in the 105,7% of means per capita GNP of country for year 1994, presenting a light improvement concerning the year 1989 that was 104,7%.
At head GNP of Region corresponds in the 75% of means at head GNP of European Union in 1996 and it is classified in the poor Regions of EU, improving however her place concerning the year 1986, that amounted in the 57% of means at head GNP of Union and found in the 21st place between the Regions with lowest at head GNP.
The Region produces the 5,7% of total GNP of country. In the primary sector are produced the 31%, in the secondary 13% and in the tertiary sector of the 56% of regional Crude Domestic Product. The corresponding percentages for the country are 15% for the primary sector, 25% for secondary and 60% for tertiary. The bigger part of GNP of Region is produced in the prefecture of Heraklion (51,1%), while follow the prefectures of Chania (23,4%), Lasithi (13,7%) and Rethymno(11,8%).
With regard to the productivity, the Region is found in the same precisely level with the country, while it falls short concerning the productivity of EU. Concretely, in year 1996 the productivity of Crete covers the 72% of m.t. of EU (M.t. Greece = 72%), presenting however continuous improvement the last years. (in 1993 the corresponding percentage was 69%, while in 1988 was 64%).
''Employment
The economically active population of Region Crete amounts in 229,6 kms, while occupied in 219,1 kms (1997). The diachronic development of active population and employment last years (1993-97) presents increase, make that keeps pace with the diachronic increase of total population of Region.
The 37,8% occupied worked in the primary sector, the 12,5% in the secondary sector and the 49,7% in the tertiary sector, while the equivalents national percentages are 19,8%, 22,5% and 57,7% (1997). With regard to the diachronic development of sectoral composition of employment, at duration of period 1993-1997 is observed a tendency of aid tertiary and primary sector, while in the secondary sector is observed relative bending.
''Unemployment
The rate of unemployment in the Region in year 1997 reaches the 4,6% and it is found in considerably lower level than corresponding national that is amounted in 10,3%. The diachronic development of unemployment of Region Crete the last years presents small increase.
Concretely, the rate of unemployment in year 1993 was 4,2%, while in 1997 it reached in the 4,6% (the equivalents national rates of unemployment are 9,7% and 10,3%). The situation is better in the Region that in the country, with regard to the special categories of unemployeds.
The rate of unemployment for the women is 7,3%, while the new unemployeds occupy the 20,7% of unemployeds, in equivalence with the country where the percentages is 15,9% and 32,3%. The rate of long-lasting unemployment for Crete amounts in the 49,7%, while for the country in 57,1%. the intense circularity and seasonallity the basic activities of local economy they require increased specialization amining at the increase of mobility of workforce
Sectors of Production
''Primary sector
The GNP primary sector occupies the 12% of GNP of primary country and the 31% of total Regional GNP, percentages particularly considerably, make that shows the importance of sector for the regional and national economy. Despite his important attendance in macroeconomic sizes, the primary sector is characterized by long-lasting structural weakness because the small and divided up agricultural lot. Also, Crete remains enough the mean of country in irrigated extents.
The structure of cultures in the Region elects the specialization in traditional cultures as the cultivation of olive trees and the viticulture. Horticultural cover hardly the 3% of total cultivated extent, but in Crete are assembled roughly the 50% of greenhouses of country. The Region allocates comparative advantages in the production of fresh vegetables and blooms.
The livestock-farming in Crete has mainly extensional character, with small number of organized veterinary surgeon units. The bigger department of animal capital is constituted by ovine of free pasturage. Important are the conditions of growth in the production of hard cheeses, where it participates at 25% in the domestic production.
Despite the islander character of Region, the fishery faces problems that are located mainly in the lack of infrastructures, management and marketing of fish catches and modernization and reformation of piscatorial fleet and methods of fishery. Finally, Crete presents advantage in the apiculture because climate and existing apiarian flora.
''Secondary sector
The transformation is connected main with the process of products of protogenic (foods – drinks) but also with the sectors of structural materials and plastic. Her attendance reaches round about the 5,3% of total C.P.P. (Crude Constitutional Product) for 1994.
The enterprises of transformation of are relatively small size with the exception of co-operative. Crete assembles only the 1,8% of shops of big industry and only 25 units has turnover that exceeds the 1 billion of Drs (Drachmas).
Transformation of products protogenic sector presents problems of organization, quality, planning and standardization, as well as modernization of productive infrastructures. The problems are also connected also with the weakness of organization of commercial networks for the promotion of local production in the international markets.
The connection of transformation and services, the networking as well as the interconnection with the inquiring centers are found in low levels.
The land-planning/urban organization of transformation is insufficient, so that it causes environmental dues and it accepts pressures from the built-up extension and the growth of other sectors of local economy. The operation of I.A. ( Industrial area) of Heraklion and I.P.( industrial park) of Chania, they have positively results .
''Tertiary sector
The administrative, educational and financing services, as well as the services of transports are assembled mainly in the big urban centres. Because the islander character of local economy and export orientation have been developed most powerful companies of transports and shipping companies of (7,6% of total turnover of economic activity of Region).
In the decade 1980 were created in Crete academic, polytechnic and technological educational institutions, as well as important inquiring centres (I.T.R. (Institution of Technology and Research ), I.M.B.C.(Institute of Marine Biology of Crete), etc). The inquiring activities are assembled mainly in the Heraklion and in smaller level in Chania and in Rethimno.
The attendance of Crete in the basic indicators of inquiring activity is enough higher than that of other Regions of country. The Region of Crete possesses the second place in the classification of Regions with base the percentage distribution of inquiring institutions in Greece with 14% (1993).
The inquiring institutions have developed collaborations with industries except Crete, but the orientation in the local economy remains still in low levels. Besides, has been achieved satisfactory level of synergy, between the total inquiring and academic institutions of Region. The infrastructures that have been created in the frames of Technological Park of Heraklion have not been developed sufficiently, because the attracting of enterprises is small level. In the sector of services of health has been developed important inquiring activity in interdisciplinary base, with the growth of systems of telemedicine that can have important contribution in the effective management and exploitation of infrastructures of health.
The tourism in Crete is the more dynamically developing sector. The GNP of sector shows continuous increase from 8.844 mills. of Drs in 1981 in 13.863 mill. of Drs in 1991 and 15.933 mill. of Drs in 1994.
It is marked that for the interval 1991 – 94 the increase of GNP of the tourism for Crete is bigger than that of country. Increased is also the employment in the tourism (in the hotels and restaurants of Crete are occupied the 8,5% of active population) with percentage of double almost equivalent of country.