One region in six above 125% of the EU27 average...
The three leading regions in the ranking of regional GDP per inhabitant in 2004 were Inner London in the United Kingdom (303% of the average), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (251%) and Bruxelles/Brussels in Belgium (248%). Among the 46 regions exceeding the 125% level, eight each were in Germany and the United Kingdom, seven in Italy, five in the Netherlands, four in Austria, three each in Belgium and Spain, two in Finland, one region each in the Czech Republic, Ireland, France, Slovakia and Sweden, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
It should be noted, however, that in some regions the GDP per inhabitant figures can be significantly influenced by commuter flows. Net commuter inflows in these regions push up production to a level that could not be achieved by the resident active population on its own. The result is that GDP per inhabitant can be overestimated in these regions and underestimated in regions with commuter outflows.
...and one in four below 75%
The fifteen lowest regions in the ranking were all in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, with the lowest figures recorded in Nord-Est in Romania (24% of the average), followed by Severozapaden, Yuzhen tsentralen and Severen tsentralen in Bulgaria (all 26%). Among the 70 regions below the 75% level, fifteen were in Poland, eight each in Greece and Romania, seven in the Czech Republic, six each in Bulgaria and Hungary, four each in France (all overseas departments), Italy and Portugal, three in Slovakia, one region in Spain, and Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta.
