Social and environmental vulnerability of municipalities of the Central Region of Portugal by using geographic information system

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to perform an analysis of social and environmental vulnerability of 17 municipalities concerning to the districts of Coimbra, Leiria and Santarém (Central Region of Portugal). The methodology adopted for the vulnerability analysis is based on factor analysis which added social and environmental variables analysed using the statistical program for the social sciences, SPSS R. 18, associated with the Geographic Information System (GIS) ArcGIS 9.3. Using as reference the analysis of cartographic documents, as well as Census of the Statistics Portugal, it was possible to map the main variables for social and environmental risks to which populations are exposed and represent them through thematic maps. The results indicated the main social and environmental vulnerability factors are related to the lack of economic dynamism on the part of Municipalities whose main variables were the access to housing credit and number of enterprises. Also, appeared demographic deficits, mainly related to the ageing population and aspects concerning to quality of life, related with the urban areas, whose most influences in the model were the existence of homes with central heating, rural exodus and the low birth rate. The generated model showed results consistent with the geographic knowledge that we hold for municipalities studied and it is expected that could constitute a basis for future proposals for public policies related to vulnerabilities here mapped.