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As the Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz in Bad Ems (statistical local authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate) disclosed in December, the urban districts were hit harder – with a decrease of about 25 percent – than the rural districts (at around 14 percent). In particular, with the business tax revenue, which is important for the local authorities, the figures fell accordingly by about 21 percent to 961 million EUR in the first three quarters. Also, the important local authority share of the income tax in this period decreased by 21 percent to 620 million EUR. Mainz-Bingen was the only rural district that was able to record a slight increase in tax revenue (up 1.9 percent). The greatest decline was in the rural district of Vulkaneifel with a loss of about 37 percent. Amongst the urban districts, Kaiserslautern had absorbed the least in terms of loss (minus 0.4 percent); the greatest loss was Ludwigshafen (minus 39 percent).
The drop in tax revenue can be explained, particularly, by slumps in proceeds from companies, said the president of the Statistisches Landesamt, Jörg Berres. The recession also meant a drop in revenue to the local authorities in the form of revenue from companies.
The Statistisches Landesamt in Bad Ems presented under the title “Rhineland-Palatinate regional” the current edition of the publication “Kreisfreie Städte und Landkreise in Rheinland-Pfalz – Ein Vergleich in Zahlen” (Urban districts and rural districts in Rheinland-Palatinate – A comparison of figures). “The official statistics possess an abundance of data with which the living and economic conditions can be compared with each other in the different regions of the state,” states President Jörg Berres. The publication “Kreisfreie Städte und Landkreise” has been an established component in a comprehensive regional, statistical range of products for years. “With numerous tables, graphics and cards, the reference work offers a breakdown of information on different topics extending from the population through to education, tourism and viticulture,” states Berres.
A choice
• On 31 December 2008 there were 50,652 and 143,110 companies registered in the urban districts and the rural districts respectively, of which, in 2006, a taxable turnover and/or employees who pay social security contributions were reported. Over 20,000 had their registered offices in the town of Mainz or in the rural district of Mainz-Bingen. There were a further 35,000 approx. companies based in the town of Koblenz and the neighbouring rural districts Westerwaldkreis, Mayen-Koblenz and Neuwied.
• In Rhineland-Palatinate there are 435 nursing homes and 390 nursing care services. The supply rate with available places for residential nursing care shows – measured using the number of over 65-year-olds – great differences between the individual rural and urban districts. From a distance, the majority of places per 1,000 people over the age of 65 are available in the town of Speyer (71), followed by Koblenz and the Donnersbergkreis district with 60 respectively.
• At the end of 2008, 7.3 in every 100 inhabitants in the state were claiming unemployment benefit II or social benefit according to Social Security Code II (“Hartz IV” reform). While this so-called Social Security Code II-Quote was not over 10 percent in any of the rural districts, it exceeded this mark in seven of the twelve urban districts. The town of Pirmasens experiences the highest rate at 17.5 percent.
• The urban districts are very much in front of the rural districts in terms of employment concentration. On average, in the urban districts, 673.5 jobs are required per 1,000 inhabitants, whereas the ranges of 929.4 in Koblenz and 473.1 in Worms are sufficient. In the rural districts the concentration of employment amounts to 377.9 on average. The rural district of Bernkastel-Wittlich has the highest value at 467.7 and the rural district of Südwestpfalz has the lowest (242.7).
• There are wide ranges of numbers of under-3s attending nurseries or day-care centres. In Worms 7.8 out of 100 children in this age group attend a day-care establishment; in Trier there are 21.9. Among the rural districts, Südwestpfalz has the highest number in attendance with 26.4, and the lowest rate of attendance is in the rural district of Vulkaneifel (11.2). On average, in the rural districts 16.7 of 100 children under 3 attend an establishment, in the urban districts 14.4 attend.
• Only five of the twelve urban districts showed a positive migration balance in 2008. Among the 24 rural districts there were just three areas to which more people immigrated than moved away from.
• The average earnings per inhabitant were 18,102 EUR higher in the rural districts than in the urban districts (17,126 EUR). The greatest rise compared to 2000 was shown in the rural district of Trier-Saarburg.
The publication “Rhineland-Palatinate regional – Kreisfreie Städte und Landkreise Rheinland-Pfalz – Ein Vergleich in Zahlen” (Urban districts and rural districts in Rhineland-Palatinate – a comparison of figures), 2009 edition, is 144 pages long and comes in DIN A4 format (paperback, adhesive binding) at a cost of 11.50 EUR. The current edition is available to download as a PDF file (3,528 kB) free of charge (www.statistik.rlp.de). The PDF files with the editions from 2004 to 2008 are also available to download.
