The intertwined geographies of agricultural land and human settlement in Europe

Abstract

Attention of rural policies in Europe is increasingly shifting away from agricultural production towards economic multifunctionality, environmental sustainability, and social development, including the impact of farmland on quality of life. This study examines the relationship between population and agricultural land use in Europe, estimating the proportion of people living at various distances from different types of agricultural land cover across countries and regions in 2006, 2012 and 2018. Our findings reveal that the nearly all of Europeans reside within 10 kilometers of farmland, with vast majority living within 1 kilometer. Overall, the changes during the observed period were neglible. However, there are substantial differences among regions. A more detailed analysis of various agricultural land classes highlights regional disparities that are partly influenced by geological and climatic conditions. Notably, only about half of the variation in the proportion of people living near farmland can be explained by the extent of agricultural land cover, indicating a need for further research. In terms of spatial patterns, Europe can be divided into up to seven distinct groups based on the types of farmland surrounding population.