Quality of life in Argentina: The environmental dimension at a departmental scale

Abstract

To evaluate the population Quality of Life, several factors should be considered, including the environmental dimension, which has gained notorious attention in the study of this subject. The development and use of indices has become increasingly necessary in order to understand and properly grasp the problems linked to the different dimension associated with population wellbeing. An Environmental Quality Index (EQI) made up of twenty-three variables grouped into three dimensions known as: a) nature-based recreation resources, b) socially constructed resources, and c) environmental problems is applied to the 511 departments of Argentina in 2010. The first dimension of the index yields a very asymmetric distribution along the Argentine territory, and evidences a strong deficit in the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires city, the capital of the country. The second dimension exhibits greater relative presence in large and mid-sized cities and in the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires. At last, the presence of environmental problems is strongly showed to large urban areas.

Keywords

• quality of life
• environmental dimension
• Argentina