Rotten Banana
The Rotten Banana (Danish: Den rådne banan) is an informal area of rural Denmark facing significant economic disparities.[1] The term Rotten Banana traditionally includes an area of Danish municipalities the west coast of Jutland to Lolland-Falster islands in the southeast,[2] forming a crescent shape reminiscent of a curved banana. This phenomenon has garnered media attention due to the stark economic disparities between these regions and more prosperous urban centers,[3][1] like Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense.
The term was coined by Hanne W. Tanvig in the 1990s to draw attention to a contrasting phenomenon to the Blue Banana.[4] The term, which holds a negative connotation, has been falling out of fashion, and media use of the term has declined.[5] Tanvig regrets creating the term.[4] In the time since the term was coined, studies have found that the area with highest unemployment has shrunken to primary west Zealand, Lolland, and Falster.[2][6]
Another term often associated with the Rotten Banana is Udkantsdanmark (Outlying Denmark).
See also
- Rust Belt - a term for a region in the United States marked by economic decline
- Empty Diagonal - a low-density population region in France
- Golden Banana
References
- ^ a b Winther, Malene Brandt; Svendsen, Gunnar Lind Haase (2012-10-01). "'The Rotten Banana' fires back: The story of a Danish discourse of inclusive rurality in the making" (PDF). Journal of Rural Studies. Growing Old in Rural Places. 28 (4): 466–477. doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2012.05.003. ISSN 0743-0167.
- ^ a b "Tænketank: Den rådne banan er skrumpet til Syd- og Vestsjælland". Berlingske (in Danish). 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "The Rotten banana: Rural challenges in Denmark | International & Executive Programs | UC Berkeley". iep.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b Karkov, Rasmus (2019-05-28). "Den rådne banan skrællet". videnskab.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Den rådne banan er blevet mindre rådden". DR (in Danish). 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Den rådne banan er flyttet til Sjælland". TV2 ØST (in Danish). Retrieved 2023-11-29.
