Spatial classification of rural areas in Poland

Abstract

Today, the functions of rural areas are changing; having been mainly agricultural and forested they are increasingly becoming touristic and residential, especially those that are situated in suburban and coastal regions. Spatial typologies are commonly developed on population density which we found could be substituted by land use. The elaboration demonstrates the procedure which led us to a spatial classification of all the local administrative units in Poland (gmina - NUTS5). As a result 7 classes were distinguished. The goal is to create a standard of division based on universal, readable and easily interpretable indicators which will make the results more intelligible. © Robert Buciak, Marek Pienia{ogonek}żek.