Daniela Szymańska

Urbanization in Poland: Tendencies and Transformation

This paper examines urbanization in Poland after the Second World War. Particular attention is paid to urban dynamics in respect of the distribution of urban settlements, and changes in the urban population size distribution. The authors highlight the particular role of industrialization in shaping urbanization in the postwar period, and the consequences for urban economies after 1989. Urbanization has consistently lagged behind industrialization, with significant consequences for standards of living, infrastructure provision and levels of commuting.

Rural Areas in Poland in The Context of Changes in Population Age Structure in 1996, 2001 and 2006

Rural Areas in Poland in The Context of Changes in Population Age Structure in 1996, 2001 and 2006 The article presents changes in the rural age structures in Poland as observed in the years 1996, 2001 and 2006. The changes in population numbers are analysed with respect to age groups, the aging index and the old-age rate. Regarding its spatial scope, the article covers rural areas in Poland and the basic territorial units it uses are rural communes and the rural parts of mixed rural-urban communes that altogether amount to 2,171 units (as of 2006). The obtained results are discussed in a broader context of urban as well as countrywide age structures.

The scale and the dynamics of permanent migration in rural and peri-urban areas in Poland – some problems

Abstract This article refers to the analysis and the evaluation of permanent migration as observed in rural areas of Poland, especially in peri-urban areas of the Polish cities between the years 1995 and 2011. The article covered all 2,173 rural and rural-urban (excluding urban parts) gminas in the country. In the article there were shown what are the migration volumes and dynamics in rural areas and what is the situation of large cities’ peri-urban areas in terms of permanent migration.

The Changes in the Functional Urban Region in the New Socio-Economic Conditions in Poland. The Case of Toruń

The Changes in the Functional Urban Region in the New Socio-Economic Conditions in Poland. The Case of Toruń This article attempts to determine the general tendency of changes of functioning of urban regions in the new socio-economic conditions in Poland. The functional connections resulted from an intensively and relatively permanent flow of population, which functions as foundation of identification of the urban region in that study. The paper presents the results of empirical examinations of the functional urban region of Toruń conducted in 70s, 80s, and presently. On that basis explation is presented on how the transformation of the economic system with all consequences influenced on the modification of developed and relatively stable city-surroundings relations. Additionally the article is aimed at recognizing the new determinants of urban regions development in Polish conditions.

Germany - Two Demographically Different States?

Germany - Two Demographically Different States? The paper is an attempt of an answer how belonging to different political, economical and cultural structures has influenced diverse population processes and structures and their spatial diversity. As an example to the research of these phenomena there was chosen Germany that until 1990 were two separated socio-political and economical formations (the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Federal Republic of Germany FRG). This state, with a population number about 82 millions presently, as it turns out - besides passage of time - is characterized all the time by some diversity of procreation behaviors, population processes and structures in the Eastern (Ost) and the Western part (West) of Germany. It is claimed, the structures are going to some similarities, but the 15 years period (1990-2005) was too short to level all stated demographical differences and trends (1).

Infrastructure's and housing's development in the rural areas in Poland - some problems

The article refers to an analysis and an evaluation of changes in the technical infrastructure and housing in the rural areas of Poland in the years 1995–2008. The article covers all rural and rural–urban (excluding urban parts) gminas1 in Poland that altogether amounts to 2,172 units (as of 2008). It was stated that in the rural areas in Poland a population density increased and it is caused mainly by dynamic suburbanisation processes and by a population movement from cities and towns towards suburban gminas, and in a lesser degree by natural increase. In the article the spatial variations of rural gminas were presented in the following elements: length of the water-line and sewerage networks per 100 km2; share of water-line and of sewerage systems’ users, number of dwellings per 1,000 population, number of rooms per person, the usable floor space of a dwelling in m2 per person, share of dwellings fitted with water-line system and share of dwellings equipped with flush toilet and bathroom. It is also shown that there are relationships between population density and infrastructure and housing elements by providing positive as well as negative correlations. JEL Classification: R11

POLISH TOWNS AND THE CHANGES IN THEIR AREAS AND POPULATION DENSITIES

Polish Towns and the Changes in Their Areas and Population Densities This article presents the spatial and population density changes in Polish towns in the years 1960-2003. The assumed time frame allowed identifying area changes for a complete set of towns in different socio-economic conditions: the period of intense industrialisation, the economic crisis of the 1980s, the period of economic transition and finally in the years of a market economy. The investigation revealed that the trend shown by changes and the size of a town as measured by the number of its population are distinctly interrelated. It also demonstrated a much stronger dynamics of changes in the first subperiod, i.e. years 1960--1985, followed by a phase of relative stabilization (compared with the previous period) after the year 1980 (mainly of the spatial changes). Moreover, change intensity and change trends observed for the urban areas and population densities vary considerably in terms of space.

The concentration of the creative sector firms as a potential basis for the formation of creative clusters in Poland

Abstract The study aims to present the structure and analyse the distribution of economic activities comprising the creative sector (covering 10 sections of PKD 2007 - the Polish Classification of Activities based on NACE rev. 2 - the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) of the Polish economy in the context of the potential basis for the formation of creative clusters in Poland. The study concentrates on the numbers of creative firms based in all 3,076 Polish gminas (306 urban gminas, 1,576 rural gminas and 597 urban-rural gminas; in the latter, 597 urban areas and 597 rural areas are considered separately). As found, most of the firms are involved in architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis (M 71) and other professional, scientific and technical activities (M 74). It has also been established that some local incubators of the potential clusters of creative industries form eight distinct centres, the most prominent of which is the Warszawa centre. The identification of areas with higher concentrations of creative firms has demonstrated that in Poland, like in western countries, creative firms tend to locate in large cities (Warszawa, Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław and Tri-City) and in the regions around them.

Evaluation of Conditions Concerning the Development of Tourism. Investigation into the Basin of the Parsęta River

Evaluation of Conditions Concerning the Development of Tourism. Investigation into the Basin of the Parsęta River The article presents the results of multidimensional evaluation of conditions concerning the development of tourism in rural areas of Parsęta basin. For the purpose the synthetic measure has been applied in reference to 27 variables divided into two groups: suitable for tourism or investing. Having conducted the analysis of the selected variables, the investigated area was divided into three regions: the seaside at the North with very good conditions for the development of the touristic function as its core function, the central region, highly diversified with only moderate touristic capabilities, and finally the southern region, the lake district, with adequate features for the development of tourism.

Internal Migration in Germany in 1990 And 2005

Internal Migration in Germany in 1990 And 2005 The article seeks to answer the questions concerning the possibility of identifying regular patterns within internal migration in the towns and rural areas of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as factors contributing to regional variations in the process. The research involves 439 German counties (Kreise) and compares data on internal migration in the country in the years 1991 and 2005, i.e. from its reunification until the year 2005. The 15-year period of functioning of one reunited state has been assumed sufficient for capturing some regularities and trends.