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In this article, we identify the spatial mobility of the populations of selected urban centres in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. In total, 1,616 interviews were conducted. Additionally also interviews with the employees responsible for crisis management were conducted. Based on the analyses, five different clusters were identified, with different patterns of inhabitants in terms of their spatial mobility in the event of war. The most significant factors influencing their mobility in crisis situations are country of residence, age, number of people in the household and sex. This research can help develop evacuation strategies at different levels of governance.

Our article investigates the utilisation of EU support from the EFARD Axes 3 and 4 in the 2007–2013 period in North Hungary, with a special emphasis on the role of the LEADER local action groups (LAGs) and their forms of governance. A brief study ofthe results of the 2014–2020 period was also included. The distribution of resources was examined by a spatial inequality indicator, the Gini coefficient. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted to explore the level and forms of governance in the case of LAGs. Our research results suggest that the distribution of Axis 3 resources within local action groups shows greater inequality in fewer LAGs. The Axis 4 denotes higher inequality. The level of governance of LAGs is relatively low as it is achieved through strong local leaders. This may explain high spatial inequalities of fund distribution.

Current investigation analyses the processes of internal migration in Hungary following the regime change, which is divided into three stages: 1) the period of suburbanization that developed in the 1990s and then receded in the mid-2000s; 2) for a decade from the mid-2000s, the balance of migration tipped towards the towns again; (3) from the mid-2010s, the migration gain of villages has become decisive. Budapest became again a destination for migration in the second stage, while the population its agglomeration - with varying extent - gradually increased its proportion within the country. In the examined periods, several urban areas represented significant migration surplus (mainly in Northwestern Transdanubia), while the county seats of Northern Hungary, hit by the industrial crisis, were characterized by emigration even at the level of their catchment areas. Settlement groups struggling with almost continuous migration losses appeared especially on the periphery along the northeastern border. In addition to 'welfare' suburbanization, however, many settlements also experienced the migration of poor people induced by financial problems of population. Migration processes were affected by the 2008-2009 crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the government's family and housing policy. The relationship between the level of development expressed in terms of income and the internal migration balance is on the one hand contingent, on the other hand changing over time and not clear. After the grouping of settlements according to their income level, emigration seems to be more frequent among the most backward settlements, but the migration gains of the more developed settlement groups are significantly fluctuating. During the first suburbanization period, differences in the migration balance decreased, however, according to the levels of development, the gap opened both during the crisis and during the second suburbanization that unfolded again in the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delimitation and classification of peripheral settlements using multivariate statistical methods is presented in this article, with a case study of Hungary. A combination of four different methods provided the basis for the delimitation of settlements defined as peripheral. As significant overlapping was detected between the results of the different methods, peripheries – more than one-fifth of the Hungarian settlements – were identified in a common set of the results. The independence of the results from the applied methods points to the fact that peripherisation is multi-faceted, and the peripheries of Hungary are stable and well-discernible from other regions. After the identification of peripheral areas, we classified these settlements into groups based on their specific features. Multiple steps specifying the relevant variables resulted in selecting the most appropriate 10 indicators and these served as the basis for a hierarchical cluster analysis, through which 7 clusters (types of peripheries) were identified. Five of them comprised enough cases to detect the most important dimensions and specific features of the backwardness of these groups. These clusters demonstrated a spatial pattern and their socioeconomic and infrastructural features highlighted considerable disparities. These differences should be taken into consideration when development policies are applied at regional levels or below.

Copyright of Modern Geográfia is the property of Publikon Publishers/ IDResearch Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the article was the assessment of the spatial matching of existing shelters (supply) to the distribution of residents in Suwałki (demand), considering their declared transport behaviours while evacuating during war. The analysis was conducted based on the locations of existing emergency shelters using data on population distribution (registration data with building accuracy). Spatial alignment was determined using the P-Median problem and E2SFCA. In terms of establishing vehicular or pedestrian travel time, the Manhattan metric based on the urban road network model was utilised. A model of vehicle movement speed was then constructed, while a constant speed was assumed for pedestrian movement. Additionally, survey data on the transport behaviour of inhabitants of Suwałki in the case of war were conducted in 2023. The study concluded that the population residing within the city limits should evacuate on foot, and that prior training on the evacuation process is especially necessary for those who reside in less populated areas of the city. The analyses also showed that existing emergency shelters are overly dispersed, making management difficult for emergency services. Since the current capacity of emergency shelters is not sufficient for the number and distribution of inhabitants of Suwałki, the most practical significance of this article in this respect is to indicate to the authorities the optimal number and location for emergency shelters (to improve the evacuation process). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to examine one of the neglected areas in the spatiality of religion, the spatial distribution of religious institutions and the changes that have taken place in this relation over time in the case of Debrecen, a specific city in Hungary, which has hosted several religions both in the past and present. The main findings are discussed in five subsections concentrating on five consecutive periods. During the period under study, the number of institutions run by churches increased steadily until the Second World War. This process was interrupted after the Second World War, and partly as a consequence of the world war (with the deportation of Jews to concentration camps) and partly due to the anti-religious nature of the socialist regime, there was a significant decline followed by a resumption of expansion after 1990. Regarding the location of the institutions within the city and its changes, there were significant differences between the various types of institutions (e.g., churches, administrative centres, kindergartens, elementary and grammar schools). Research primarily relied on document analysis and fieldwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran has increased its CO2 emissions significantly during the past few decades. The household sector in Iran contributes one of the largest sectors of CO2 emissions. Despite this significant contribution, the existing policies have predominantly concentrated on large-scale initiatives while overlooking the regional role in shaping and implementing these plans. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between CO2 emissions and the efficient factors in three major groups including energy, climate, and household socio-economic factors. This study aims to address regional carbon emissions and develop CO2 reduction policies tailored to each region's specific circumstances. It focuses on planning strategies at the regional level to effectively tackle CO2 emissions. Household panel data of 28 provinces of Iran are employed by using both static and dynamic panel models for the years 2001 to 2019. Static estimation includes Fixed Effect (FE), Random Effect (RE) and pooled Partial least squares (PLS), Dynamic estimation includes difference Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) and system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The empirical result of the static method showed positive dependence of household CO2 emissions on Heating Degree Days (HDD), Cooling Degree Days (CDD), precipitation level, oil consumption, gas consumption, household income, size of household, and also building stocks. In more detail, educational rate, dummy variable (removal of energy subsidy), and oil price reveal the greatest negative impact on the emissions with elasticities of − 0.428, − 0.31, and − 0.15; It represents 1% increase causes − 0.428, − 0.31, − 0.15, decrease CO2 emissions, respectively. however, household size, gas consumption, and oil consumption show the most significant positive effects on CO2 emissions with 1 percent increase causes CO2 emissions increases by 0.1, 0.044, and 0.026, respectively. Regarding the impact of climate factors, a 1% increase in Heating Degree Days, Cooling Degree Days, and precipitation level causes CO2 emissions increase by 0.024%, 0.004%, and 0.011% respectively, due to an increase in fossil energy demand. Results of the dynamic method of the system Generalized Method of Moments are similar to the static estimation results, except for that household size and urbanization are not significant. Also, removing the energy subsidy for fossil fuels due to substantial subsidy in fossil fuels in Iran or implementing a re-pricing energy policy can be a beneficial way to control carbon emissions from households within the provinces of the country. However, it is important to consider that this shift could potentially transfer subsidies to investments in the private sector for renewable energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International female and male students' segregation per academic fields of study designates an important challenge for educational equity, diversity, and gender equality in tertiary education institutions worldwide. This study probes the determinants of study field choice among 984 students from 57 countries who enrolled at the University of Oradea, Romania, during 2022–2023. By incorporating gender approaches and concepts within broader economic and cultural theories, we utilized the bivariate analysis and multinominal regression models to scrutinize how students' preferences for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), AHSS (arts, humanities, and social sciences), or medicine are influenced by their gender, and the more general cultural and economic attributes of their home country. Our findings enrich the knowledge and understanding of gendered patterns of academic study field choice, providing a cross-cultural and integrative viewpoint that enables us to set forth recommendations to bridge higher education gender gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and significant expansion of urban areas is observed worldwide; however, considerable differences are detected within the characteristics of the process. The rural–urban fringe is changing most dynamically from the aspect of land use and this tends to be relevant in the case of post-socialist cities in Central Europe even with a stagnating or decreasing population. Debrecen (Hungary) and its hinterland adequately represent the migration trends of Hungarian cities and the great administrative area provided wide intra-urban suburbanization processes. The current study put the emphasis on the analysis of the spatial pattern of built-up areas and the distribution of residents. In order to discover the processes of the post-socialist transition period, detailed point layers were created to illustrate every built-up parcel in the rural–urban fringe of Debrecen (for the years 1980, 2000, and 2020). The most important characteristics were discovered with the help of GIS methods—Kernel-density, grid pattern analysis of the object density, and analysis of land cover/land use changes using Corine Land Cover Change (CLCC) databases. The dynamic and extended expansion of built-up areas was seen until 2000, in which the outskirts (including hobby gardens) densified spectacularly. The urban sprawl has been less intensive since the millennium and the increase in built-up areas has become more concentrated. As a consequence of the transition period, extended territories—primarily the least dense parts of the rural–urban fringe—are faced with the disappearance of buildings due to agricultural cultivation reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates the demographic processes and challenges of the Hungarian developmentally peripheral settlements. Demographic challenges can be regarded as important consequences of the social and economic disadvantages in spatial terms. However, the interrelating negative demographic tendencies cause even more backward situation blocking or hindering the development. The objective of the current analysis is to discover the demographic characteristics of the peripheral settlements, to detect the spatial disparities and to point out the correlation between backwardness and the investigated demographic phenomena with the help of the census databases 1980-2011 and local datasets on Roma population. Using methods of multivariate statistical analysis, seven indicators were selected in order to achieve the goals of the paper. Backward areas are primarily characterized by population decrease with significant disparities, but there were growing communities among them as well. Some small villages in Northern and Southwestern Hungary will foreseeably face complete depopulation within few years. Primarily small sized villages faced intense decrease in rate of natural change, but dynamic population growth was also detected. Migration loss tends to correlate with the extent of peripherality, as increasing values of migration balance accompany decreasing ratio of peripheral settlements in the area. The ratio of elderly population shows an expressively two-faced character, with the extremely aging and very juvenile settlements. The ratios of Roma population reflect the scale of peripherality. Extended ethnic change could be predicted in Northeastern and Southwestern Hungary and near the Middle Tisza valley. Presented demographic processes will make the backwardness of most of the peripheral settlements stable.

The issues of intra-urban suburbanization tend to be received increasing attention during the last decades. The rapidly growing possibilities through the GIS-based methods provide new ways to analyse the processes. In the current research, a new methodology of dataset building was implemented in order to cover different types of resources (topographic maps, orthophotos, satellite images) and to create basis for a longitudinal analysis by the example of Debrecen. The resulted parcel level point layers ensured detailed grid-based analyses to discover changes between the early 1980s and 2000 and after the millennium until nowadays. The investigation drew the attention to the different tendencies of intra-urban suburbanization in which some areas proved to be continuously dynamic (some parts of the urban fringe or the external part of the inner areas), some garden zones’ role changed and unambiguous decrease was represented by some agricultural territories. The most dynamic territories were characterised by quick densification and by extension of the built-up areas at the fringes. The rapid suburbanization process slowed down after the 1990s, but it has not stopped in Debrecen. These findings tend to be regarded as spatial concentration process within the frame of relative deconcentration of the population (as part of intra-urban suburbanization). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Tanulmányunkban Eger vonzáskörzetének vizsgálatával foglalkozunk, igyekszünk dinamikai összehasonlítást is végezni egy 1980-as átfogó felmérés eredményeivel. Elemzésünk célja az, hogy Eger négy ágazatra – kiskereskedelem, foglalkoztatás, egészségügy és oktatás – vonatkozó, valamint komplex vonzáskörzetét feltárjuk, és bemutassuk az elmúlt három évtizedben lezajlott változásokat, továbbá ezek magyarázatára is kitérjünk. Eger kiskereskedelmi vonzáskörzete megváltozott, mivel az ágazat egésze is jelentősen átalakult. A vásárlások száma nőtt, azonban a vidéki vásárlók aránya csökkent. A legnagyobb áruházak nagyobb vonzásövvel rendelkeznek, mint a belvárosi üzletek, ugyanakkor összességében véve Eger vonzáskörzete mégis csökkent. A megyeszékhely foglalkoztatási szerepe nőtt, vonzáskörzete kiterjedt, ez azonban kevesebb Egerbe ingázó munkavállalót jelentett a foglalkoztatás jelentős rendszerváltás utáni leépülése miatt. Az egészségügyi vonzáskörzet adminisztratív úton szabályozott, és nem változott meg érdemben 1980-hoz képest. A középfokú oktatási vonzáskörzet a tankötelezettség korhatárának emelése miatt minden tekintetben kiterjedt. Tanulmányunk legfontosabb következtetései a következők. Ágazatonként eltérő tendenciák érvényesültek, amelyek hátterében különböző társadalmi, gazdasági és politikai okok húzódtak meg. A lezajlott változások kettős képet mutatnak, mivel Eger komplex vonzáskörzetének abszolút kiterjedése csökkent, valamint az erősebben vonzott települések köre is szűkült. Ugyanakkor a megyeszékhely közelében fekvő – szuburbanizációs célterületnek számító – települések esetében mégis jellemzően erősödött a vonzás intenzitása.

An increasing amount of CO2 emissions from the household sector of Iran led us to analyze the inequality and understand the possible driving force behind the CO2 emissions. The study of inequality provides information to policy-makers to point policies in the right direction. By considering the differences in the socio-economic factors of provinces, the study aims to analyze the inequality in CO2 emissions and different kinds of energy consumption, including oil, gas and electricity, for the household sector of Iran's provinces between 2000 and 2017. For this aim, the Theil index and Kaya factor, as a simple and common method, were considered to evaluate the inequality in both CO2 emissions and energy consumption, and determine the driving factor behind CO2 emissions. According to the results, inequality in oil and natural gas consumption were increasing, electricity was almost constant; however, CO2 emissions experienced a decreasing trend for the study period. The Theil index changed from 0.4 to 0.65 for oil, from 0.18 to 0.22 for natural gas, from 0.17 to 0.15 for electricity, and from 0.2 to 0.14 for CO2 emissions between 2001 and 2017. In addition, the results of the inequality study indicated that most of the inequalities belong to within-group inequalities in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The results of the Kaya factor indicate that the second factor, energy efficiency, with a 0.21 value was the main driving factor of inequalities in CO2 emissions; however, the first factor, energy consumption, can be a potential factor for inequality in the following years, as it increased from 0.00 to 0.11 between 2001 and 2017. It seems that by removing the energy subsidy policy in 2010 and 2013, low-standard and energy-wasting old vehicles were the most effective factors of energy inefficiency in the household sector, which need more accurate policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review article, we intend to initiate a discussion on the possibilities of implementing the 15-minute city concept (FMC) in Slovak cities. Our research motivation is the relatively high potential of the idea to contribute to solving current problems of sustainable urban development to strengthen cities' resilience. It is not only about coping with the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic but also about the need for synergy of mitigation and adaptation measures in the context of climate change and the transition to a low- to the zero-carbon development paradigm. Last but not least, it can be pointed out that the 15-minute city model will also contribute to reducing inequalities between different parts of cities, which is one of the consequences of poorly regulated suburbanization processes. The paper is structured in several parts. In the introductory section, we look for common features of the concept and its theoretical framework within various traditions and paradigms of geographical thought. We then analyse its basic functions and dimensions that are considered when planning this concept in the current conditions of urban life. We also address specific applications in world metropolises while pointing out that the concept is not rigid and can still be adapted to local natural, historical, socio-economic conditions and intraurban structures. In the last section, we present the first examples of implementing the 15-minute city ideas in Slovak cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study highlights the economic importance and role of the European and Hungarian SMEs (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) in reducing territorial inequalities, and in contributing to regional development and gives an overview of their basic features and characteristics. In the preparation of this paper, we have relied on specialist literature and the data available on the website of Hungarian Central Statistical Office. During the 2008 crisis, real estate, real estate renting, computer and business and business support services, trade, construction and manufacturing, and automotive were the big losers. The economic sectors most exposed to the effects of the 2020 health crisis were the so-called IRS sector. The districts most affected by the health crisis were the Hungarian districts most visited by domestic and foreign tourists, namely Lake Balaton, Bük-Sárvár, Sopron-Fertő, Győr-Pannonhalma, Mátra-Bükk, Debrecen and its region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic growth of spatial databases and IT analytical capabilities has expanded the scope for historical comparative studies. However, a number of problems have hampered the implementation of these analyses, mainly due to the altering methodology of statistical measurements, the changing content and uncertain explanatory power of socio-economic factors, and not least the repeatedly redrawn spatial frameworks. In the case of historical Hungary, the coherent data structure became fragmented as a result of the Treaty of Trianon, which also made it difficult to create a database for the current time section. The comparative analysis of linear infrastructure elements over time, in particular railways, poses fewer dilemmas, while the expression of complex development is a much more complicated problem. The study used calculations based on a common methodology, but essentially different in terms of the variables used in the two time sections in order to compare the change in the situation between 1910 and 2010 for the territory of historical Hungary (covering 8 countries in total). The authors have used geographic information tools to project municipal level data on a 10*10 km grid, since the problems mentioned above made direct comparison impossible. Their experience shows that the grid network is suitable for comparing the spatial structure of development over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multidimensional approach of territorial development is applied in the research. A composite indicator created for the present situation and named 'territorial development index' was adapted to the Hungarian historical data from 1910 on the LAU 2 level. The effects of the Trianon borders were observed on the basis of the comparative analysis of the historical and present development indices. The common methodological basis provided the opportunity to compare the outputs of the computations. Some of the underdeveloped areas along the present state border of Hungary have existed even before the demarcation of the Trianon borders (dominantly along the Eastern- Slovakian border, the Northern part of the Romanian border and along the Slovenian border). Large scale disparities existed at the beginning of the 20th century which decreased significantly by 2016. The general tendency of convergence influenced the border zones as well - both closing up to the Hungarian average and within-region convergence could be measured. Contrary to this, the geographical concentration of the most underdeveloped settlements (the lowest quantiles of the settlement ranking) became visible along the Eastern-Slovakian, the Ukrainian, the Romanian and the Croatian sections of the border zone. The former hinterlands of the large towns along the Hungarian-Romanian border tended to face negative tendencies in their development paths. The settlements in the border zone characteristically stepped forward along the Slovenian, Austrian and Western-Slovakian border sections. The results tended to draw the attention to the spatial polarization process because significant parts of the underdeveloped territories located along the borders did not exist prior to 1920. Furthermore, the increasing concentration of disadvantaged settlements in the border zone was not only the direct effect of the creation of the new state boundary but the cumulative result of multiple disadvantageous ongoing social processes. However, the border - undoubtedly - has had a significant role in the conservation and strengthening of the negative tendencies. At the same time, developed zones - more or less independently of the new borders - became more developed by 2016 (especially along the Western and North-western part of the state border). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciduous tree leaf and grass samples were collected in Debrecen, the second largest city in Hungary. The aim of the study was to determine the rate of fossil fuel-derived carbon in urban vegetation. At the locations sampled, C3 and C4 plants close to roads were collected in September 2017. In total, 82 tree and grass leaf samples were gathered at 36 different sampling points all over the city of Debrecen. The radiocarbon (14C) results of the samples were compared to the local urban background atmospheric 14CO2 data to determine the percentage of the fossil fuel-derived carbon in the plants. Based on our results, the average fossil carbon content in the tree and grass leaf samples were 0.9 ± 1.2% and 2.5 ± 2.5%, respectively. The highest fossil carbon content was 9.6 ± 0.6% in a grass and 4.7 ± 0.7% in a tree leaf sample. It appears that the negative fossil carbon content results obtained at urban sampling areas reflect modern carbon emission, where radiocarbon content is higher than the corresponding local background, presumably due burning of recent wood containing bomb 14C in the suburbs as well as other possible sources such as litter decomposition or soil CO2 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centre-periphery dichotomy can be regarded as one of the crucial issues in human geography and regional science. The definition of periphery is far from unambiguous due to its relative expression and its content. This is the reason why can significant number of studies be found focusing on the delimitation of central and peripheral areas. The revolution of computer technology and the rapid development of GIS cause the more and more extended usage of these techniques in the human geography as well. These related studies were categorised by their approaches – namely the locational or developmental centreperiphery concepts – and their GIS tools. Application of spatial parameters with extended datasets and complex GIS based calculations mean the most precise and complicated use of GIS and computer tools in the delimitation of peripheral (and central) areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present paper is examine the committee structure of municipal councils of Hungarian settlements having a population over 5, 000 before and after the local elections of 2014, and to analyse the presence of external experts in the work of the various committees. The most important findings can be summarized as follows: the average number of municipal council committees shows a strong correlation with the size of the settlements. The roles of the individual sectors as filled in the municipal council committees, and the changes to the same, are affected by amendments in the relevant laws and the subsequent governmental measures. The participation of external members in the municipal council committees is typical primarily in sectors that are less important and require mainly professional knowledge; at the same time, municipal councils strive to keep external members away from the work of committees discussing issues that are confidential or otherwise sensitive from the point of view of the local governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism began to play an important role as a tool of development regarding cross-border cooperations after the change of the regime. A more efficient cooperation is needed to employ the potentials in tourism-related development of environmental endowments as well as the significant improvement in standards of other factors. The aim of the paper is to reflect the importance of tourism in cross border cooperation through the example of two border regions. The methodology is based on a quality and quantity analysis of a specific database and programs. We are experiencing more and more common tourism activities in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is considered as one of the most important economic sectors, providing opportunities both for economy and development as it accounts for 5% of the GDPs in countries worldwide. This fact emphasizes the significance of the sector in Romania, as well, although tourism makes up only 1.9% of the Romanian GDP. The importance of tourism in regional development is also vital, which can be analysed by different statistical methods. During the research, our objectives were to examine the correlation between the economic development indicators and tourism; their spatial relationship, and, in close relation with these, we have also studied the characteristics of the spatial trends of tourism. To answer these questions, the method of weighted centroids statistical methods was used and it was supported by GIS tools. The results revealed that despite the increasing number of tourist arrivals, one of the biggest problems of Romanian tourism was the decreasing number of guest nights during the investigated period between 2000 and 2012. In our opinion, this phenomenon seriously threatens the sustainability of capacities, which can be a key issue of future tourism development policies. The results of our statistical research suggested a moderate correlation between tourism indicators and the examined development indicators. Nevertheless, it is clear that tourism indicators are definitely separated from most development indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research puts the issue of functional urban regions (or districts) into the focus delimited by the commuting network of employees. The local labour system (LLS) provided a specific dimension of this complex approach however it is one of the most adequate possibilities to delineate these areas of commuting. The delimitation process consisted of two steps with the separation of employment centres and with the assignment of settlements to these cores. The alteration of the LLS pattern was also analysed as the investigation was carried out by the census data from 2001 and 2011. The results provided a comprehensive overview about the process of territorial concentration and the instability of peripheral areas. Significant regional disparities of commuting came to light as the consequence of the body of settlement network. The territorial division of the country provided by LLS pattern is fitting to the new and integrated European approach of cities and their hinterlands but it is not alternative against other administrative or statistical divisions of Hungary. However this territorial point of view is in closer relation to the issues of analysing the local labour market processes or the developments targeting the increase in employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the increasing significance of environmental protection, which can be observed in the past decades, according to international trends, the leaders of Hungarian settlements have also begun to pay more attention to this area. An important role in the management of settlements is played by municipal councils elected by the population, whose decisions are prepared by various sectoral committees. Despite the fact that the scope of the committees' work is often wider than can be deduced from their names, we think it stands to reason to examine to what extent environmental protection are present in the names of municipal council committees. In the light of the above, this paper emphasises the following questions with respect to Hungarian settlements with a population of at least 5,000: to what extent is environmental protection present in the committee structures of the municipal councils of local governments and which factors influence the presence of environmental protection in the committee structure of local governments? The findings of the present paper can be summarised in the following major statements:• Municipal councils of settlements consider the presence of environmental protection in the committee structure as important, but they primarily deal with this area in combination with other sectors.• Environmental protection is most frequently dealt with in the same committee with the areas of urban development.• The presence of environmental protection in the committee structure shows correlation with three factors, of which the strongest link can be found in case of the volume of traffic passing through the settlements [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to reveal the energy-efficient technologies, related knowledge and information sources of the population in the Hungarian Northern Great Plain Region and to gain a understanding of their attitude towards the implementation of these technologies. The survey included questions about the alternative building technologies as well as the cost burden limits of considering their application. Special attention was given to getting information about the energy characteristics and maintenance problems of the dwellings. The lessons learned from the data analysis are sufficient for the more successful promotion of the energy-efficiency issue and for changing current public attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important issues of the new millennium are the adaption of renewable energies; and the establishment and operation of social and technical systems that have little impact on the environment. People must undertake to solve this problem during the establishment of the everyday life of the settlements. In the course of this study, the authors surveyed the documents related to the energy strategy of the local municipalities of the Northern Great Plain region. This document analysis was supplemented by interviews. Finally foreign and Hungarian case studies were analyzed, based on the literature, self-collected data and interviews. The paper presents the good practices for sustainable settlement development based on renewable energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the various environmental problems arising today, special attention must be paid to the issues related to energy; in particular one of the most important tasks to address environmental issues is the decreasing of the energy consumption of buildings. As a result, much attention has been given recently to research projects aiming to analyze the technological, economical and environmental features of energy efficient buildings. This paper examines such buildings in four regions of Europe that have received less attention, regarding differences in terms of their spread over time, the influence of geographical factors and the various functions involved. The most important conclusion drawn is that the above factors are significantly influenced by the income position of the groups of countries, the applied technology and the geographical location of the settlements within the country concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the third Romanian-Bulgarian-Hungarian-Serbian conference that held in Srebrno jezero, Serbia from September 18-21, 2014 is presented. Topics discussed includes Cross-Border Cooperation, sustainable development, developing recreation region, demographic changes, soil loss and causes of soil erosion.

The distribution of business organisations according to the number of employees has long been an important area of research in economic geography. What is in the background of the above is that the economic position of individual geographical areas, as well as the strength of the local economy, are fundamentally influenced by the size of the companies operating there. In the light of the above, the purpose of this paper is to examine the changes concerning the size categories of registered business organisations in the construction industry, which is considered as an important base of the economy, in the period between 2000 and 2013, as well as to address the differences between the counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current analysis aimed to illustrate the centre-periphery dichotomy of Hungary on the level of settlements using the personal income approach for investigation. Income represents a special indicator correlating with lots of other social-economic variables. The income database is appropriate to illustrate the post-socialist transformation of the Hungarian economy and society with territorial consequences. The comparative overview of the regional level income per capita processes drew the attention to the differing development paths of regions forming two polarised groups. Income inequalities were calculated by the Hoover index and the weighted form of mean logarithmic variation. The rapidly growing inequalities started to stagnate after the mid 1990's and slight convergence appeared by the time of the millennium. One more stage was reasonable to divide - in 2008 with the blast of the global financial and economic crisis. The development stages of income inequalities provided the basis for aggregating the results of the local spatial autocorrelation calculation. The mapping of these results drew the income frontiers and their alterations during the last two and half decades. The boundary of the groups of settlements with similar high or low values formed the income frontiers that can be regarded as a special social frontier. This frontier determines more socio-economic processes and the regional policy should consider these to treat the significant social problems with their territorial consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current investigation applied the method of triadic decomposition of GDP per capita using it as an indicator to express the competitiveness in static, dynamic and combined forms. The results partly supported the former findings about the development characteristics of Hungarian towns. Some outputs of the current investigation highlighted new trends and spatial processes of competitiveness of towns after the millennium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study concerning the impact of the regional policy of the European Union on the method of demarcating the beneficiary regions in Hungary. It explores the role of the demarcation of the beneficiary regions as one of the key tasks of the regional policy as well as offers a historical overview of the regional inequalities in Hungary. The study demonstrates the consideration of the Hungarian regional policy of European Union trends during the demarcation of eligible areas.

In the current study, the Hungarian system of the minorities' advocacy is in focus with special regard to the Gypsy minority local governments. The representation of the Roma population has became very wide-spread from the mid 1990's by the Gypsy minority local governments, however this temporal change fits to general trends of other minority local governments. Important territorial characteristics were discovered by the example of the North Great Plain Region where significant part of the Hungarian gypsies are concentrating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important and popular methods in analysing the effect of economic integration are represented in the current study primarily focusing on border areas. One of the most spectacular methods - the potential model - is investigated in order to analyse the theoretical effect of the most important economic centres on the border areas of Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]