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Changes in Population Density of the Urban Population in Southern Poland in the Period 1950-2011 Against the Background of Political and Economic Transformation

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Changes in Population Density of the Urban Population in Southern Poland in the Period 1950-2011 Against the Background of Political and Economic Transformation MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – RegIONal StuDIeS ON DeVelOpmeNt Vol. 21 • No. 3 • 2017 • pp. 107-113 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.1515/mgrsd-2017-0017 Changes in population density of the urban population in southern Poland in the period 1950-2011 against the background of political and economic transformation Abstract This paper presents the changes in urban population density in Iwona Jażdżewska the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in an area of ​​approximately 20,000 km2 in southern Poland, which includes close to 100 towns and cities with a population of almost 4.5 million (in 2011) and an urbanisation index over 70%. It is the most urbanised part of Poland and includes the Institute of Urban Geography and Tourism, Cracow agglomeration and the Upper Silesian conurbation. The analysis Faculty of Geographical Sciences, was performed using one of the statistical methods for estimating discrete University of Łódź, Poland e-mail: [email protected] distributions, the kernel function method. The conclusions served as a basis for the presentation of changes occurring in this area against the backdrop of political and economic transformation in Poland, as well as a scientific discussion concerning the state and future of the merging of these agglomerations in the light of the factors discussed. Keywords Cracow • Silesia • population density • political transformation • Kernel function Received: 1 July 2016 © University of Warsaw – Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies Accepted: 20 July 2017 Introduction Upper Silesia, covering the Dąbrowa Basin and the Cracow of depopulation of Upper Silesian cities and strong processes agglomeration,1 was the region with the highest density of urban of suburbanisation around Cracow, as well as discussing their networks and the highest population in Poland in both 1950 causes and the pace of change. They used various methods of and 2011. The region also had the highest number of large research and presentation of results (tables, cartograms and and medium-sized cities (Jażdżewska 2008). During the socialist cartodiagrams); only Jażdżewska (2008) used the kernel function to period, several investment projects were planned and carried present population density changes for all Polish cities between out in the area, the biggest being the Lenin Foundry in Cracow, 1939 and 2002. the Katowice Foundry, and numerous coal mines, power plants, This paper presents the results of the analysis of changes in chemical and automotive plants. They caused a large wave of urban population density in the most urbanised area of Poland. migration of people from all over Poland to the cities in the region. The analysis focuses primarily on changes occurring around the Many migrants left their homes in the countryside when, similarly Cracow agglomeration and the Upper Silesian conurbation, as to the rest of Poland, the largest migration from rural to urban well as the area between them. The urban settlement network areas took place during the socialist era between 1945 and 1989. in the area in question is unusual in that there are several cities For several decades after World War II, the population of cities in the vicinity (within 25 km, straight line distance) of each city. in the region grew due the high net migration and natural growth. Thus, it can be claimed that it is internally coherent (Jażdżewska In the period of Polish political transformation, the demographic 2008). processes changed, which resulted in numerous regional The author believes that it helps to examine the changes differences in population density. Issues related to population in population density taking place across such a heavily changes and demographic processes in the region have been industrialised area against the backdrop of economic and addressed by many researchers. They mostly concerned Upper political transformations, and consider whether the areas could Silesia: Szajnowska-Wysocka (1995), Tkocz (2005), Krzysztofik and Runge be merged. (2010), Runge A. (2010). Runge, J. (2015), Rechlowicz and Tkocz (2013); Cracow: Zborowski (2005, 2011), Raźniak and Winiarczyk-Raźniak (2013); The study area and source data and all Polish cities: Eberhardt (1989), Korcelli (1996), Gawryszewski An area of Poland comprising 20,000 km2 was chosen for the (2005), Jażdżewska (2008), Kałuża (2010) and Zborowski et al. (2012). analysis, where 99 towns and cities were located in 2011 with a In the aforementioned papers, the authors noted the processes total population of approximately 4.5 million, which includes two agglomerations: Cracow and Silesia (fig.1). After 1945, this area 1The Cracow agglomeration is understood, as Parysek (2008:39) put it, as Cracow and was part of Poland, while its western part belonged to Germany its suburban centres (Bochnia, Krzeszowice, Myślenice, Skawina and Wieliczka). before the war. Unauthenticated Download Date | 2/23/18 9:47 AM 107 MISCELLANEA GEOGRAPHICA – RegIONal StuDIeS ON DeVelOpmeNt Vol. 21 • No. 3 • 2017 • pp. 107-113 • ISSN: 2084-6118 • DOI: 10.1515/mgrsd-2017-0017 The study used data from the National Census in Poland, which was conducted in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1988, 2002 and 2011. GIS software was used to create numerical layers in the form of points, showing the network of cities with assigned number of inhabitants in the census year. The 20th century saw changes not only in the number of residents, but also in the number of cities in Poland. New towns were created or combined with others, some were also stripped of their charters (Jażdżewska 2008), so each census had to take these changes into consideration in order to represent the actual number of cities. Methods of presenting population density Maps of population density are drawn in many ways, and their main task is to present this phenomenon in space as faithfully as possible. They are usually constructed using a cartogram, with quotients of population and spatial unit area presented in certain administrative units (municipalities, counties, provinces, etc.). If the analysis includes several census periods, and the administrative borders changed in the area under study, their visualisation and comparison requires additional work – the recalculation Figure 1. Area of study (estimation) of population in new administrative units. In the case Source: own elaboration of Poland, we are dealing with frequent changes in administrative ^ boundaries at the state level: the numberwhere nand means areas sample of provinces size,h is the ( smoothing ) ∑ coefficient ( )(bandwidth), andx1, x2,… , xn are changed fairly frequently after 1945,points counties of the were n-element erased random and characteristics,sample (Peters including2011). K symmetryrepresents in kernel relation functions to zero, integratedwith formed, new municipalities were created,certain characteristics,settlement units including were tosymmetry 1. Usually, in itrelation takes the to formzero, of integrated a Gaussian to function:1. Usually, it swallowed by cities, while others takesturned the into form new of acities. Gaussian The function: cartogram method is ‘sensitive’ to changes in administrative borders, where population density is calculated. The cities under investigation also changed their administrative boundaries due ( ) ( ) to: the merging of cities (e.g. BielskoProbability and Biała), density the function inclusion depends Probability primarily√ density on the function value of depends the parameter primarily h, the on smoothingthe value of the of neighbouring villages or towns,coefficient. as well as The detachment higher its fromvalue, theparameter greater the h, flatteningthe smoothing (PA Longleycoefficient. et al. The 2008 higher p. 344). its value, the them and the emergence of new towns. SomeThis methodof the cities involves have the initialgreater creation the flattening of a grid (PA ofLongley squares et al. of 2005 a predetermined p. 344). area had varied histories – for example,(the Sławków, length of Radzionków its side is chosen and subjectivelyThis method and depend involvess on thethe initialscale creationof the map of anda grid level of squaresof Wojkowice were incorporated intodetail neighbouring in results) cities,.2 Next, but a after circle ofof predetermined a predetermined radius area is drawn (the aroundlength each of itssquare side and is thechosen a dozen or so years they again numberbecame of independent. settlement points These within subjectively it is calculated and. dependsThe key taskon theis the scale selection of the of map the correctand level of administrative changes should not haveradius any length, impact as on high theer results values maydetail result in results). in the2 Next,excessive a circle smoothing of predetermined (generalisation) radius isof drawn of mergers or detachments. In theresults, case ofwhile the lowerincorporation values resultof aroundin excessive each details.square Inand this the analysis number of of city settlement densities, points r=50 within rural areas into cities, a populationkm increase was chosen, can bewith observed, a square ofit 1is km.calculated. In analysing The key population task is the densities, selection r=25 of the km correct and aradius which in turn causes a rise in populationsquare density of 0.5 in km these were cities. chosen. For Thelength, band asvalues higher were values adopted may after result Jażdżewska in the excessive (2008), smoothingwho this reason, the cartogram methodexamined was abandoned the population and another density (generalisation) changes for Polish of results,
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