Across the world, people’s daily activities centre around clusters of population and economic activity. Settlements – cities, towns and villages – provide jobs and access to services for their own residents and others nearby. The quality of access to those services is key to promoting vibrant, inclusive and happier communities.

However, access is not always uniformly distributed within countries, with metropolitan areas typically outperforming rural areas. This report looks at the interaction between geography and access to services. It considers three main factors: (1) The size of settlements; (2) Accessibility – the travel time associated with accessing settlements via car and public transport modes; and (3) Services – public and private services that are available and accessible across a variety of domains including health, finance and education.

Numerous policy interventions hinge on improving service accessibility. Understanding the complex interactions between geography, transportation infrastructure, and service provision is essential for regional development policies and in particular for those regions facing population decline.