Why is unemployment rate so low in the Alpes

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

While doing some research on unemployment I came across this map with Eurostat's unemployment rates from different regions in Europe.



An intresting map, but most of it I already knew. But I didn't know the Alpes stuck out so much when it comes to low unemployment. I find it facinating. Can anyone explain why to me? Is this a historic trend or a recent development?

 

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

It's got southern Germany and the bulk of non-Alpine Switzerland and Austria. On the other hand, it lacks Rhône-Alpes, PACA, Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto, FVG and Slovenia. And, oh irony, the only swiss cantons not comprised in it are the most alpine ones. This region definitely cannot legitimately be called "alps" under any meaningful definition.

Fine, fine. Nit picking, nit picking. What do you suppouse I call an area consisting of Austria + Switzerland + Southern Baveria + Southern Baden-Würtenberg + South Tyrol and some other very northern parts of Italy + Lichtenstein. Auswisobasobawürsotyrstein?

As for the question: I don't know if there's a special reason, but summer and winter tourism might have a lot to do with it. It's a job magnet. Switzerland of course can be explained partly because of the historic Protestant hard-work ethic.

I considered that, but other tourist regions are no different than Europe at large. Looking at Andalucia and the French Riviera, quite the difference. As for Protestant hard work ethic shouldn't that then also apply to Scandinavia. (I mean obviously Norway... but the rest of us?)

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

"where fat affluent Catholics go to retire and die"? Not at all fair, of course, but certainly a better fit than "Alps" or "Protestant work ethic"...

Touché. Although I was going to write that Protestant-work ethic was not it because out-side of Switzerland that's the strongest catholic part of German-speaking Europe.

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But that is also true for a lot of (most of) places in Europe. Sweden also had a byby boom post WWII, and so did most European countries, and 65 is the retirment age in almost all of Europe.