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Well-Being and Geography: Modelling Differences in Regional Well-Being Profiles in Case of Spatial Dependence—Evidence from Turkey

Author

Listed:
  • Zeynep Elburz

    (Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH), Department of City and Regional Planning, Izmir 35430, Turkey)

  • Karima Kourtit

    (The Faculty of Management, Open University of the Netherlands (OU), 6419 Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 700506 Iasi, Romania
    School of Architecture, Planning and Design, Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco)

  • Peter Nijkamp

    (The Faculty of Management, Open University of the Netherlands (OU), 6419 Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 700506 Iasi, Romania
    School of Architecture, Planning and Design, Polytechnic University (UM6P), Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide a new quantitative perspective on the geography of well-being using an urban–rural typology and characteristic city size elements in order to detect where people are happier and to examine the determinants of well-being by considering spatial dependence effects. We use 81 NUTS 3 regions and the time period 2012–2019 to analyse the geography of well-being for Turkey with panel and spatial panel models. Our results show that living in an urban area, in general, makes people happy, but that density negatively affects well-being. In addition, city size matters for enhancing well-being. We also analyse the determinants of well-being by using several socio-economic well-being indicators. Next, the aspatial and spatial model results based on spatial econometric regressions show that education, health, employment, and income are all important for well-being, whereas indirect effects (spillovers) of these indicators also exist. Our results indicate that ignoring spatial effects causes a misinterpretation of the effects of critical determinants of well-being in geography.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeynep Elburz & Karima Kourtit & Peter Nijkamp, 2022. "Well-Being and Geography: Modelling Differences in Regional Well-Being Profiles in Case of Spatial Dependence—Evidence from Turkey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16370-:d:996364
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jens Fyhn Lykke Sørensen, 2026. "Why are City Residents Less Happy than the Rest of the Population in Developed Countries? Studying the Urban-Rural Happiness Gap in Denmark Using Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 21(1), pages 35-54, February.

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