Statistical analysis of road freight transport in Catalonia

Abstract

Abstract This article describes the links between economic level, investment in Research & development (R&D), and Catalan freight transport between 2006 and 2016. Catalonia is the second most populous area in Spain, northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, whose economy ranks second among the Autonomous Communities, surpassed only by the Community of Madrid, to speak of a significant economic and social region. The study sought to answer the question of what economic contexts exist in the region regarding freight transport. To do all this, it uses mathematical-statistical tools to explore the relationships between real data sets, which were calculated using seven indicators. The analyses suggest a positive increase in the volume of imports and exports of goods in the region. The same is true for GDP per capita. It came as a surprise that virtually no positive correlations existed between R&D and any other indicators. In analysing the indicators, we found that the current economy was pushed back by the 2008 world economic change, similarly to international trends. At the same time, there has been rapid growth since 2010, especially in exports. This also means that Spain, particularly the Catalan region, has serious trade relations, which affect the region’s economic development and the freight transport industry.