Development of settlements of Hungarian Central Danube Region in 2010 and in 2020 based on the complex economic index

Geographic disparity and the resulting unequal development is a fundamental tenet of our everyday lives, and is undoubtedly one of the most important and researched categories in spatial economics. This can be observed in particular in international spatial research trends, as it is clear from the research on the spatial economy in Europe that the EU enlargement process is revealing endogenous contexts that can influence the reduction of geo-spatial disparities and provide strategic directions for solving problems. The issue of the growing contrast between centre and periphery has also rewritten the dimension of urban and rural areas, so that the concentration of population and the emergence of economic and service centres have laid the foundations for new development directions. Based on these findings, the study investigated a complex set of issues and their interrelationships, with the focus on the municipalities of the Central Danube Region. In the course of the analysis, the changes in the economy in 10 years between 2010 and 2020 were analysed by exploring the economic competitiveness and the situation of the region under study. The indicators used for the study were defined on the basis of the results of academic works analysing economic development along similar axes. In addition to the interconnectedness of the changes and the lessons to be drawn from geographical development, the authors also identified the potential for future economic development, including the identification of the high spatial economic leverage of the economic centre, the underdeveloped situation of settlements located further from the regional centre, and the development of economic indicators in the region. In our opinion, the present analysis could be beneficial for the future regional development of the settlements in the economic zone and for the region as a whole. Our future objective is to carry out analyses and strategic planning for the development of the territory.