Disappearing Villages in Poland – Selected Socioeconomic Processes and Spatial Phenomena

Abstract

The work was to diagnose rural settlements that have been disappearing gradually since the end of World War II as a result of a marked process of depopulation. The authors focused on the disappearance phenomenon itself, seeking to identify and assess selected socioeconomic and spatial processes ongoing in the areas concerned. Through analysis of the set of 41,466 statistical localities in rural areas of Poland, it was found that 62% of these villages reported a decline in the number of inhabitants over the 1950–2011 period. Throughout the post-War period, it is small villages of fewer than 100 people that have experienced the most marked demographic regress. The smallest settlements of all – with 50 people or less – have suffered the most-marked loss of population, at around 28% on average. To be noted, among the factors behind disappearances of villages are limited attractiveness arising out of low standards of living, natural conditions unsuited to farming, limited incomes earned from agricultural activity and poor outfitting in social and technical infrastructure.

Keywords

• rural settlement
• rural population
• disappearing villages
• socio-economic processes
• depopulation
• poland