Environmental & Socio-economic Studies DOI: 10.1515/environ-2015-0006 Environ. Socio.-econ. Stud., 2013, 1, 1: 38-47 © 2013 Copyright by University of Silesia ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Socio-economic changes in the Rybnik conurbation (Poland) as a result of economic restructuring – a case study Tomasz Spórna1, Monika Kurpanik1 1Department of Economic Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska Str. 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland E–mail address (corresponding author): [email protected] _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The Rybnik conurbation is an example of a traditional industrial area, where, due to economic restructuring, social and economic transformations are taking place. It is located in the Silesian voivodeship (southern Poland) and its development is mostly based on intensive coal mining after the Second World War. The article presents selected aspects of social and economic transformation happening in the area of the Rybnik conurbation after 1945 and connected with its rapid economic development in the 1960s and 70s, as well as with the systematic and economic transformation in Poland after 1989. The article was prepared on the base of subject literature, statistics and own studies. Population transformations have been analysed for the period 1980-2010, in each case, in relation to selected administrative units and three zones of the conurbation – the core, the inner and the outer areas. In order to evaluate and compare the demographic situation in the Rybnik conurbation in the years 1988 and 2008, a rank method has been applied. Community classification has been based on the total value of ranks for particular communities for the following variables: birth rate, population growth, net migration rate and the participation of the population in the pre-working and post-working age. The results of population transformation indicate that until 1991, the population of the Rybnik conurbation had been increasing (up to 197.7 thousand people). In the period 1991-2012, it decreased by 26.4 thousand (i.e. by 3.8%). In the same period of time, depopulation took place in the largest mining cities of the conurbation core (Wodzisław Śląski, 56.1%, connected with its administrative division into 4 towns and 1 rural community; Jastrzębie-Zdrój – 12.3%, Żory – 7.8% and Rybnik, to a lesser degree – 2.7%). The rank method that was applied has revealed the worsened demographic condition in the western communes of the conurbation (a shift from weak to bad). Simultaneously, in the period 1990-2012, the population gradually increased in the outer zone of the conurbation, by 6.8%. This indicates the process of suburbanisation taking place in the area. Demographic and economic changes in the Rybnik conurbation after 1989, in comparison to other mining areas in Poland and in Europe, seem to be less intensive. KEY WORDS: old industrial region, mining region, socio-demographic changes, migrations, Rybnik Coal Area, Upper Silesia ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction ET AL., 2010; RILEY & TKOCZ, 1998). The process of the restructuring of traditional industrial regions A large number of traditional industrial regions is difficult and long-lasting (HAMILTON, 1984). in the world, including mining regions, make it In the area of Poland, including the former difficult to present the process of their socio- Katowice voivodeship, it did not start until 1989. economic transformations in a model way (RUNGE, It was connected with the reduction in employment, 2008). It is mostly dictated by differences in their the closing down of obsolete factories and economic and urban development, as well as in consequently, with the increase of unemployment their political systems. It is also crucial that the (practically non-existent in the socialist economy) process of traditional regions restructuring did as well as with emigration. The land areas of the not happen in the same period – it was initiated liquidated industrial plants serve as new locations in the 1960s and 70s in Western Europe (HASSINK for new industries and services. In the case of the & SHIN, 2005; SCHRADER, 1998), while in the Central Silesian voivodeship, the Katowice Special Economic and Eastern Europe it did not start until after 1990 Zone, created in 1997, has had a considerable (ECKART, 2003; MÜLLER ET AL., 2004; MYKHNENKO impact on the restructuring of its economy. 38 The article presents selected aspects of socio- 2. Research area economic transformations that have taken place in the area of the Rybnik conurbation after 1945 The research area is located in the southwestern and connected with its rapid economic development part of the Silesian voivodeship and it covers the in the 1960s and 70s as well as with the system settlement complex of Rybnik. It borders the Czech and economic transformation in Poland after Republic on the south, including the Ostrava- 1989. The article is a review – it is a case study on Karvina agglomeration, the Opole voivodeship on the area of the Silesian voivodeship (Southern the west, and the Katowice conurbation in the Poland). north and the northeast (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. The area of the Rybnik conurbation (authors elaboration based on the Krzysztofik, 2007, 2008) 1 – border of country; 2 – border of voivodeship (province); 3 – border of the Rybnik conurbation; 4 – border of district; 5 – border of administrative unit (community); 6 – border of towns localized inside of urban-rural unit; 7 – directions of administrative hierarchy inside administrative units; 8 – core of the Rybnik conurbation; 9 – internal zone of conurbation; 10 – external zone of conurbation; Racibórz – urban unit (town); Gorzyce – rural unit; Cz.L. – Czerwionka-Leszczyny; K. – Krzanowice; R. – Rydułtowy; J. – Jejkowice Despite the differences in the nomenclature of the connected with the rapid settlement changes that researched area in literature, the authors refer to it have taken place here, in this part of the Silesian as the Rybnik conurbation (following KRZYSZTOFIK, voivodeship, since the mid-20th century. 2007, 2008). This area was, for instance, called According to RUNGE'S research (2008), in the the Rybnik Coal Area, after 1945, and its range 1920s and 30s, the settlement complex of Rybnik was frequently changed, but the very name reflected a type of a monocentric agglomeration, referred to the economic structure rather than to with the population dominating in Rybnik (70%). the settlement structure of the region. Difficulties Until 1950, the area had been characterized by a in establishing the name (type of settlement scattered network of cities with their own impact form) and the range of the research areas are areas. The main cities, in the first half of the 20th 39 century, included: Racibórz, Rybnik and Żory of the Rybnik conurbation (following KRZYSZTOFIK, (cities with their genesis in the Middle Ages). 2007, 2008, Fig. 1), may raise doubt, especially The development of the settlement form in the in relation to establishing the inner and the Rybnik conurbation was started in the 1950s and external zone, which are not spatially continuous. was connected with the development of mining. The authors have accepted the division of the Until 1975, the process of citification had happened Rybnik conurbation into the core zone, internal and in the area. Apart from the previously existing external zone. The conurbation is composed of 27 Middle Age cities, municipal rights were granted communities, including 8 urban communities, 3 to Rydułtowy (1951), Niedobczyce, Pszów, Radlin urban-rural communities and 16 rural communities (1954), Boguszowice, Czerwionka, Leszczyny (in total, 11 towns). The area of the conurbation (1962), Jastrzębie-Zdrój (1963), and Chwałowice is 1,470 km2 (i.e. 11.9% of the area of the Silesian and Kuźnia Raciborska (1967). voivodeship) populated by 670,928 inhabitants in Altogether, there were 14 towns in this area in 2012 (i.e. 14.5% of the population of the Silesian 1970. A characteristic polycentric structure was voivodeship). created in the region, with the features of an evolving urban conurbation. The settlement system that 3. Primary sources and methods of research was established may be included in the mining and industrial type of conurbation (KIEŁCZEWSKA-ZALESKA, The article was based on subject literature, 1972) and the technical conurbation (GEORGE, 1956) statistics and own study. Data was obtained from created in the area of mineral resources extraction, the following primary sources: Local Data Bank of as a result of settlement development concentrated the Central Statistical Office, Statistical Yearbook directly in proximity to industrial plants. for the Katowice voivodeship, The Voivodeship The administrative reform of the 1970s brought Statistical Office in Katowice and the National about crucial changes in the structure of the Census in 1988. Rybnik conurbation. In the beginning of the Changes in population in the Rybnik conurbation 1980s, the Rybnik conurbation integrated three were analysed for the period 1970-2012 and the cities of 100 thousand inhabitants (Rybnik, birth rate and net migration rate for the period Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Wodzisław Śląski), three medium- 1980-2010, in each case, in reference to