Klaipėdos universitetas

The presence of imbalances and asymmetries of the rural development form the need of harmonious development directions of the village that led to the choice of a researched topic. The aim of this work is to find and study areas and mechanisms for the orderly development of rural areas based on the principles of formation food and economic security, organic farming, and waste-free life and bio-adequate approaches in growing up and education. The study covers the period from 1991 to 2014. Evaluation of the results was based on sociometric and statistical methods. Theoretical and methodological basis of research was grounded on system-synergetic approach to the study and modelling of socio-economic processes. It was formed a model of dynamic ecological social and economic settlement system capable of self-sufficiency. Specificity of the organization and functioning of the environmental settlements in terms of global challenges was identified.

Klaipėda is the third largest city in Lithuania, but its population is decreasing, while its suburbs are expanding and growing. This study reveals population migration to Klaipėda suburbs at the level of the smallest administrative unit – elderships. This helps with sufficient precision to identify not only the most attractive suburban residential areas, but also to determine the social-demographic problems faced by the local population. Due to uneven population change and structure, there is already a shortage of educational institutions and educators in some elderships. In the remote elderships from Klaipėda city, the population is rapidly aging, the unemployment rate is relatively higher than in other elderships, and the connection with the Klaipėda city by public transport is insufficient. Proposals for administrations of elderships and district municipalities are formulated taking into account the trends of population change. Comparative analysis, cartographic analysis, document analysis, expert interview method and others were applied in this study.

The purpose of this study is to find out how the settlement systems in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia changed during the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century, and what the trends for further urban change are. In the Soviet period, single farms that existed in all three east Baltic countries were destroyed. The inhabitants of single farms were moved to central settlements. Cities grew in all the republics, especially in the largest centres. A network of satellite settlements grew up around the capitals, which was particularly dense around Tallinn and Riga. The capitals and their surrounding settlements are currently growing at a very high speed in all the east Baltic countries. This concentrates administrative functions and a highly skilled workforce, and attracts the most investment. As a result, peripheral areas, especially villages, are disappearing, and their inhabitants are emigrating. Such areas are becoming unattractive to business.In order to show the situation, the authors used a comparative analysis method, as well as cartographic, graphic and other methods. The anticipation of settlement principles and trends is one of the most important tasks of regional policy in each country. Therefore, an interpolation method was used to make estimates of the urban population in the three largest cities in the east Baltic countries from 2020 to 2023. The trend analysis indicates that the populations of most of the largest cities in the east Baltic countries will decrease.