Competitiveness behind the invisible iron curtain: Spatial analysis of EU countries
Competitiveness behind the invisible iron curtain: Spatial analysis of EU countries

Summary/Abstract: Research background: The collapse of the Iron Curtain opened the way for integration, market liberalization, and political stabilization, yet more than three decades later significant disparities remain. Competitiveness, shaped not only by economic performance but also by institutions, infrastructure, and business efficiency, reflects these persistent inequalities. Purpose of the article: This study examines spatial patterns of competitiveness among EU countries, focusing on the divide between Western and post-socialist states. By addressing the legacy of the „invisible iron curtain,” it contributes to debates on convergence, divergence, and regional development. Methods: The analysis applies the cartogram method, which enables visualization of spatial disparities. Data from the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbooks were aggregated into an eight-year average across five dimensions: overall competitiveness, government efficiency, economic performance, business efficiency, and infrastructure. The values were visualized using choropleth maps classified by Jenks natural breaks. Findings & Value added: Results reveal clear regional gradients, with Northern and Western Europe reaching the highest competitiveness levels, while Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe lag behind. Government efficiency and infrastructure proved to be the most decisive dividing factors. The value of this study lies in integrating spatial visualization with long-term data, demonstrating that despite decades of integration, the legacy of the Iron Curtain endures. The findings offer guidance for more territorially sensitive policies supporting cohesion and balanced growth in the EU.

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