BIK regions

The BIK regions are a spatial classification system and represent the urban-rural relationship of regions (BIK-Aschpurwis+Behrens GmbH 2001). A distinction is made between four BIK regions: Metropolitan areas, urban regions, medium-sized centre areas and sub-centre areas (ibid.).

Origin/Creator:	Bschpurwis + Behrens Market, Media and Regional Research
Method/Structure:	The commuter priority of employees subject to social insurance contributions is decisive for the allocation of municipalities to a BIK region. If the commuter rate is less than 7 per cent, the municipality is not assigned to a BIK region (BIK-Aschpurwis+Behrens GmbH 2001). If the commuter rate is greater than 7 per cent, a further differentiation is made according to the number of inhabitants. Metropolitan areas are large, high-density agglomerations with core cities (including surrounding areas) with at least 750,000 inhabitants. Urban regions are densely populated and interlinked areas with at least 100,000 inhabitants. Medium centre areas have 25,000 to 100,000 inhabitants and sub-centre areas are small interdependent areas with between 6,000 and 25,000 inhabitants (ibid.). No BIC region: This includes municipalities that do not belong to any of the BIC regions mentioned because they do not have a sufficiently high target commuter rate to a core city and are too small as a solitary city. (BIK-Aschpurwis+Behrens GmbH 2019)
Development/implementation for Germany:	The BIK city regions were developed from scratch in 2000 and renamed BIK regions (BIK-Aschpurwis+Behrens GmbH 2001). The fundamental revision takes place approximately every ten years. The BIK regions are adjusted annually on the basis of the current year-end population update by the state statistical offices, as is the territorial status. (Behrens et al. 2019: 115)

Keywords

regional unit, commuter priority, Compaction area, number of inhabitants, urban-rural relationship, agglomeration area, urban regions, medium-sized centre areas, sub-centre areas

BIK regions

Fundamental literature: BIK - ASCHPURWIS + BEHRENS GMBH (2001): BIK - REGIONEN Ballungsräume, Stadtregionen Mittel-/ Unterzentrengebiete. Methodenbeschreibung zur Aktualisierung 2000. Hamburg.
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