land Article From Rural Spaces to Peri-Urban Districts: Metropolitan Growth, Sparse Settlements and Demographic Dynamics in a Mediterranean Region Rosanna Salvia 1 , Rares Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir 2,*, Sirio Cividino 3, Luca Salvati 4 and Giovanni Quaranta 1 1 Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics, University of Basilicata, Via del’Ateneo Lucano 10, I-85100 Potenza, Italy;
[email protected] (R.S.);
[email protected] (G.Q.) 2 Department of Overland Communication Ways, Foundation and Cadastral Survey, Polytechnic University of Timisoara, 1A I. Curea Street, 300224 Timisoara, Romania 3 Department of Agriculture, University of Udine, Via del Cotonificio 114, I-33100 Udine, Italy;
[email protected] 4 Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Via Armaroli 43, I-62100 Macerata, Italy;
[email protected] * Correspondence: rares.halbac-cotoara-zamfi
[email protected]; Tel.: +40-727315750 Received: 26 April 2020; Accepted: 16 June 2020; Published: 17 June 2020 Abstract: Considering settlement characteristics and population dynamics together over multiple spatio-temporal scales, the present study analyzes the spatial distribution of sparse settlements and population surrounding a large city in Southern Europe (Athens, Greece), in relation with long-term metropolitan growth and recent economic downturns. Results of the analysis identify regional-scale processes of urban compaction during economic expansion (2000s) with incorporation of scattered settlements in a high-density urban fabric, and moderate urban dispersion affecting low-density, peripheral areas in the subsequent period of recession (2010s). However, more heterogeneous dynamics were observed at the local scale. With economic expansion, a slight increase in the number of settlements was observed in local districts experiencing intense sprawl in earlier decades.