A comparison of remoteness indices

ABSTRACT No existing remoteness index can be considered to be truly universal. Remoteness has been defined in many different ways by scholars from a variety of areas of study, and indices that measure remoteness are vital in guiding policy decisions in remote regions. However, index methodologies vary greatly from one another by the input variables included, how the index is constructed using these variables, and thus ultimately, their results. This paper compiles the scores of three well-known remoteness indices for each of 32 localities in Canada’s Northwest Territories. We compare these scores using statistical tests, use k-means clustering to outline new remoteness categories, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of each index. We find that the choice of input variables ultimately determines how remoteness is defined and that different indices should be used to different ends based on this choice. Our findings can guide researchers and policymakers in choosing the most appropriate method to measure remoteness based on objective factors or designing a remoteness index, while also exploring how remoteness can be defined.