*2.2. Data and Indicators*

The resident population was derived from ten-year censuses of population and buildings whose results were disseminated by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT, the former ESYE, National Statistical Service of Greece). The analyzed period encompasses eight decades between 1940 and 2019 reflecting a cycle from urbanization to re-urbanization with sequential economic expansion and stagnation waves. For a few prefectures, the population at the beginning of the study period (1940) was reconstructed using published census reports of population count at municipal and village scale for the respective geographic area or administrative region.

Despite small changes over time, census sources were widely selected in the analysis of long-term population dynamics at the regional scale. In our case, the population census was the most authoritative source of demographic information for Greece, being under the continuous scientific supervision and technical realization of the national statistical service since a very long time. An intermediate spatial scale of the investigation was selected (prefectures) to assure a refined comparison of demographic trends over time instead of more detailed domains (e.g., municipalities), which revealed sometimes less stable in the first two decades of study. Annual population growth rates over each decade (1940–1951, 1951–1961, 1961–1971, 1971–1981, 1981–1991, 1991–2001, 2001–2011, 2011–2019) were calculated and normalized subtracting the column mean and then dividing by the column standard deviation before analysis. Population density (inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup> ) at prefectural level was computed for each year in the time series, deriving the total surface area of each analysis' spatial unit from a shapefile provided by ELSTAT. The same shapefile was used to regionalize demographic indicators and selected results of the analysis run in our work.

socioeconomic resilience.

**2. Methodology** 

*2.1. Study Area* 

population dynamics. Considering a sufficiently long and representative time window, assumptions on the level of resilience of local districts and communities were delineated based on three different demographic contexts: (i) continuously attracting population, (ii) maintaining a stable population stock and (iii) losing population. By explaining (apparent and latent) mechanisms that underlie population redistribution and demographic restructuring over larger and larger regions [63–65], these contexts (i to iii) were hypothesized to be associated with a decreasing level of regional

Being partitioned in 51 districts ('nomoi' or prefectures) corresponding to the Eurostat NUTS-3 level, Greece (131,982 km2) coincided with the area investigated in the present study. Prefectures in Greece are a sufficiently detailed administrative spatial level to evaluate changes in population distribution as a function of socioeconomic transition (Figure 1). The regions of Athens and Thessaloniki concentrate nearly 50% of the Greek population [66,67]. Medium-sized cities (Iraklio, Patras) and prefectural head towns (e.g., Larisa, Volos, Kalamata, Chania, Kavala, Ioannina) grew substantially [27,32]. By displaying population dynamics contrasting with what was characteristic of tourism-specialized districts in the Aegean region, marginal districts experienced diffused land

**Figure 1.** Maps of Greek prefectures illustrating **(a)** the linear distance (km) from downtown Athens; **(b)** the linear distance (km) from downtown Thessaloniki; **(c)** annual population growth rates (%) between 1940 and 2019. **Figure 1.** Maps of Greek prefectures illustrating (**a**) the linear distance (km) from downtown Athens; (**b**) the linear distance (km) from downtown Thessaloniki; (**c**) annual population growth rates (%) between 1940 and 2019.
