This paper depicts the history of Europe's regional development using
data on its urban population. It shows the tenacity of the European do
rsal running from northern Italy northwestwards across Europe. It also
examines the general pattern of the changes in Europe's regional deve
lopment. This is almost the reverse of the present trend favouring the
Mediterranean are. During the period 1300-1850 the dominant position
of the Mediterranean regions slowly declined in favour of the northwes
tern part of Europe. The specific differentiation within this general
trend fits remarkably well with Braudel's description of the changing
core of the European world-system. Besides showing the general pattern
s of stability and change in Europe's regional development, this paper
also maps the development of individual regions. This shows the speci
fic regional differentiation within this general pattern and demonstra
tes how some regions deviate from the general trend. (C) 1996 Academic
Press Limited