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This study examines the changes in the population placement system within Northwestern Siberia during the 1930s-1950s. It provides an overview of the settlement network that formed the basis of population distribution in the region. Previously unpublished archival data on settlement typology, population size, resettlement to the north during industrialization and collectivization, and post-war periods are introduced into scholarly discourse. The dynamics of population size and distribution in national districts are discussed, along with an exploration of the ethnic composition of rural settlements’ inhabitants. The study notes a decrease in the proportion of indigenous peoples alongside an increase in the number of Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Germans in the ethnic composition of the population, largely due to mass forced migrations. It is concluded that compared to the 1920s, there was a reduction in the number of small settlements of nomadic peoples (yurts, reindeer camps) during the period under review. As a result of sedentarization efforts among the indigenous population of the region, a significant portion of their settlements became permanent and acquired town status. The typological structure of the settlement network changed: the number of “alien” type settlements decreased, giving rise to “special settlements,” an increase in towns, and rural nonagricultural settlements such as animal farms, forestry areas, and settlements near factories.

The study analyzes the population, typology, and size of settlements in the Novosibirsk district, which was one of the administrative-territorial units of the Siberian region in 1925—1930. The peculiarities of the development of the settlement network in this district are determined in comparison with neighboring districts. Data on the quantitative ratio of settlements of different types, their household and population composition are presented for the first time, and continuity and transformation in the development of the settlement system in the district are traced. The relevance of the study lies not only in the poorly studied nature of the topic but also in the possibility of using historical experience from previous generations to build an effective agricultural policy and revive the Russian village in its modern stage of development. The novelty of the study lies in the analysis of the functioning of the settlement network in the early years of Soviet power, including the typical structure of its units, the average number of peasant households in settlements of different types, and the placement of mono-ethnic settlements in the Novosibirsk district. A new trend has been noted in transforming rural settlements into urban ones, expressed in a refusal to make purely administrative decisions on this issue in favor of taking into account the sequential evolution of a specific settlement.

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Geographical analysis of the current Hungarian settlement network has shown that the population number and local social and economic structures are interrelated. Indices of demography, local labour market, income level, level of education, structure of local economic production are some of the dimensions correlating with the population number. The role of population size has been analysed intensively in the case of the smallest villages (usually defined as villages below 500 inhabitants); these settlements have been facing a complex set of issues, at least from the last third of the 20th century. The current paper is focusing on the changing role of population size between 1720 and 1910 in the territory of pre-World War I Hungary. Based on settlement-level data, some major characteristics of local social and economic structures are analysed, in order to shed light on the interconnectedness of the population number and geographical disparities, using quantitative methods. Main questions to be answered are the following: (1) has the role of settlement size changed throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and in what way? (2) could the role of regional/geographical disparities or rather the role of settlement size be considered more important? (3) is it possible to delimit certain settlement types based on their size in the analysed period? By answering these questions, the research might contribute to the analysis of historical geographical disparities, and provide additional considerations to the research focusing on the recent processes of rural areas. It is shown that the 'settlement ladder' can be detected both in the 18th and in the early 20th century. Even if the regional differentiation of the settlement network was significant, the role of the settlement size is evident as well. In the 18th century the smallest villages (those under 100 inhabitants), the villages between 100 and 2000 inhabitants and the towns above 10 000 inhabitants could be distinguished, while in 1910 the smallest (under 100 inhabitants), and the settlements above 50 000 inhabitants could be characterised by specific indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My paper presents some cases of the settlement network of Pápai Bakonyalja, a Transdanubian area from the Angevine era. In the analysis I used the detailed description of the settlement's boundaries from the charters from this era. It is possible to localize the medieval boundaries on the base of the cadastral maps from the mid-19th century with the matching of the similar place names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of a 8.1 m long peat sequence from Tăul fărăfund ("Bottomless Lake," Transylvanian Basin, Northern Romania) offers a series representing wetland development since the Middle Holocene. The most striking feature of the sequence is a cca. 900 year-long hiatus caused by peatcutting in the 14th century AD. An artificial reservoir was constructed there in the Late Middle Ages by the excavation of the uppermost peat layer, afflicting a significant environmental impact on this remote location. One of the oldest documented Hungarian settlements from the time of the Hungarian Kingdom (11th century AD, presumably with previous history) in Transylvania was discovered in the vicinity of the former reservoir by an archaeological field survey. By harmonising historical data and the exact chronological sequence of the borehole, the creation of the reservoir was inserted into the local history of the developing mediaeval settlement network at the time when some of the early settlements had been abandoned and a permanent village was established, with a church and upscale landowners, in the area of present-day Băgău in the 13th to 14th century AD. Significant environmental impacts have emerged during this transitional period around the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Presents a novel settlement network optimisation model. • The model integrates urbanisation-energy nexus and its socio-economic impacts. • Shows how to achieve energy efficiency via development pattern and tech leverage. • Coordinated urban development is essential for successful energy transition. The nexus between urbanisation and energy transition represents a critical juncture in the pursuit of sustainable development. As cities continue to grow and expand, their energy needs rise, driving consumption and emissions. Simultaneously, efforts to transition towards renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency are underway to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, urbanisation poses a challenge to these efforts, as sprawling cities require more energy for transport, infrastructure and buildings. Reconciling the need for urban development with sustainable energy practices requires integrated spatial planning approaches that consider the spatial layout of residential areas, land use patterns and transport systems. To address this nexus, our study explores the complex interplay between energy efficiency and urban development, alongside communities' quality of life, which is crucial for urban sustainability. We have developed a settlement network model that integrates socio-economic factors and the spatial distribution of energy consumption. Using a U-NSGA 3 algorithm, we have attempted to optimise future settlement network to simultaneously improve the two goals of energy efficiency and socio-economic factors. By optimising settlement networks, we shed light on the relationship between energy efficiency and communities' quality of life arising from different urban development patterns, offering insights for strategic spatial planning and technological advances. Using insights from a Swiss case study, we delineate modified strategies encompassing coordinated development, densification and the use of electric vehicles and building insulation. The results offer practical solutions for policymakers and spatial planners dedicated to fostering sustainable urban development. The overall conclusion underscores the critical significance of a coordinated approach to urban development in attaining overarching sustainability objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article examines the peculiarities of the settlement network of the established Kolomyia district (raion) of Ivano-Frankivsk oblast and its importance in the formation of territorial communities (hromada). We analyzed the peculiarities of the functioning of local settlement systems through the indicators of transport accessibility to the center of the community and administrative service centers, as well as the concentration coefficient of the population. We identified strengths and weaknesses, as well as threats and opportunities during the SWOT-analysis.

In the oldest stages of the early Middle Ages, the settlements located between the Warta and the Obra were concentrated predominantly in a few areas: between the Warta, the Sama and the Samica Stęszewska, in the vicinity of Pniewy and Lwówek, and to the west of Sieraków. The resulting structure, over time supplemented with settlement clusters in Opalenica Plain, formed the basis for a network of gords established in the 9th and the early 10th centuries. The arrangement of hamlets and gords allowed to reconstruct long-range transport routes connecting these regions with south Wielkopolska, Lusatia as well as the north-western Slavic domains.

By combining several methods that include the use of predictive modeling in GIS, remote interpretation and field survey, several settlement structures from the late Neolithic of circular and oval layout and one rectangular layout belonging to the late Middle Ages were discovered south of Bračevci at the Bašćina site. This is one of the first known and successful uses of modeling in Croatia in the discovery of Late Neolithic circular fortified settlements. The newly discovered settlements were observed in the context of the hitherto known network of late Neolithic settlements in eastern Croatia. Remote sensing was followed by an intensive field survey. Numerous fragments of ceramic vessels, fragments of ceramic whorls and weights, as well as complete pieces and fragments of knapped and polished lithic objects were found during the survey. The position and concentration of the findings were recorded, and diagnostic fragments were collected, some of which are presented in this paper. Fragments of pottery belong to the late Neolithic period. Among the non-diagnostic fragments, fragments of coarse and fine pottery were found. Among the finds of fine pottery, black polished high-gloss surface treatment dominates. Two fragments of Neolithic pottery with traces of painting have also been recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the years of the first Soviet five-year plans, from the late 1920s to the early 1940s, a network of residential settlements was actively built for the timber industry. In the second half of the 1930s, the construction of pulp and paper enterprises was accompanied by the construction of workers settlements with wooden apartment houses as the main way to solve the housing problem. In recent years, these houses have been disappearing due to their classification as unfit for residence. Currently, it appears important to explore experiences in the construction of wooden apartment houses from the perspective of the history of economics and architecture and in connection with active expansion of wooden housing construction in the Russian Federation. The workers village of the Solikamsk sulphite pulping mill (in the north of the modern Perm Krai) built in the second half of the 1930s - early 1940s is an appropriate example. Materials from Solikamsk city archive, field research data, Yandex Maps and the Housing and Utilities Reform online resource has enabled a comprehensive study of the village to be carried out. The workers village included one-story wooden houses for engineering staff and two-story wooden houses for other personnel combined in blocks. Almost all of the construction work including site improvements had been completed by the start of operation of the enterprise. The field study has revealed that most of the workers village has been preserved to date, and the houses are occupied. The plan and buildings of the Solikamsk sulphite pulping mill’s settlement were found to have many features of the “Socialist City” concept. Construction of buildings in wood, social and welfare institutions, improvements, and preserved planting contributed to the formation of an attractive appearance, and the settlement gave origin to the city of Solikamsk, having turned into one of its boroughs.

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The spatial connectivity of settlements within a regional settlement network is an essential component for the mobility of people and goods and consequently for a sustainable regional and economic development. A two-way correlation is established for the economic development of settlements and the development of the transportation network that serves them, both influencing each other. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the spatial connectivity degree of the Dobrogea settlement network and its impact on the local and regional development. The further assessment targets two major aspects of the transportation network that influence the economic development of settlements in Dobrogea. The first issue refers to the quality of the transport network and the second to the connectivity degree of the network. The analysis of the transport network in Dobrogea is also motivated by the existence of all types of transport modalities (road, rail, maritime, fluvial, intermodal), even if the analysis will take into consideration land transportation modalities. The present analysis uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) that allowed us to achieve a statistical modelling and computation of the connectivity indicators of the transport network in Dobrogea infrastructure. The changes in the degree of economic development of settlements in Dobrogea could be explained by the different values of spatial connectivity that appear in a specific area within the region. The paper provides a methodological approach to the evaluation of a regional transportation network and represents a first step in identifying its roles in the process of economic development of the Dobrogea settlement network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Second World War, Poland has been undergoing an intensive process of transformation of the economic structure of rural areas, manifested, among other things, in the change in the occupational make-up of its inhabitants. The development of non-agricultural methods of management in rural areas has led to the emergence of multifunctional rural areas, where the role of agriculture as a source of income for the inhabitants is decreasing. There is a process of deagrarianisation of the economic structure, which has been indicated by many researchers as an unavoidable process, connected with the changes taking place in rural areas. One of the effects of this process are changes in rural settlement patterns. The aim of this article is to present the spatial effects of the deagrarianisation process in the Polish countryside, expressed in the changes in the rural settlement network. The authors used the statistical database of the Central Statistical Office (over 41 thousand records) to draw up the classification of rural areas by the nature of changes in population numbers in the period 1950–2011, which was compared with the research carried out as part of the Monitoring of Rural Development in Poland. The study confirmed that the factor behind the evolution of the rural settlement network is the process of decreasing agricultural demand for labour. As a consequence, there is a polarisation of localities into multifunctional rural localities, mainly headquarter villages and local government offices, and those with a predominantly agricultural function. On a supra-local scale, a process of polarisation of rural areas between a growing suburban population and a reducing peripheral location around large and medium-sized towns has been observed.

Decentralization and the inclination towards a balanced regional development bring about a redistribution of cities’ functions: certain responsibilities are transferred from centres at higher hierarchy levels to regional centres (mostly medium-sized cities). In this context, the authors have analysed the importance of medium-sized cities in the settlement network and discussed the issue of their identification within the national urban system. The purpose of this study is to establish a method for the identification of the set of medium-sized cities within the network of urban settlements, with particular reference to Central Serbia. The authors also compare the method with the one used in Slovenia in order to demonstrate that the phrase "medium-sized city" may have different meanings depending on the context in which it is defined. Along with the demographic size as the most important indicator in defining medium-sized cities, economic, social, functional, infrastructural and institutional criteria have also been taken into consideration.

The South Transdanubien region is among the 20 most disadvantaged region of the European Union, that shows a significant decrease compared to previous years. I think any professional research can we rationale, that to change this situation, do some substantive attept. I intend to shed light on the prospects/possibilities that this small town can have in the future; and I also want to find out whether it has developmental possibilities originated in the past yet adaptable to the current situation. When the development plans have been realized these town and neighborhoods has a decreasing migration and stabilized small towns culture. The aim of the present study is to present the long-term developmental laws and characteristic features that heavily influence the economic, social and political life of the South Transdanubian region via the developments plan of the small towns. In addition to the urban development plans I analyzed the statistical data and the associations scheme.

The structure of a settlement network has been influenced historically by physical, geographical and socioeconomic factors. Theories of spatial development have focused on the interaction between urban areas and socioeconomic processes considering the natural surroundings as a steady parameter rather than a potentially varying element contributing to spatial development. Over the past 25 years in Greece, a number of socio-economic factors along with improvements in transport infrastructure led to crucial changes in the traditional settlement system. The development of new economic activities was often associated with the special characteristics of the natural landscape. In this way, natural landscape as a dynamic element interacts with the built environment and the economic activities of a place, leading to the formation of new clusters of relationships. Using the case study of the Region of Western Macedonia, a mountainous, border zone Greek region, and based on an interactive framework of analysis whereby human and natural systems are considered strongly interconnected, this paper examines the spatial interactions between the settlement network, as the basic representation of human activity, the natural landscape, as a crucial element of the natural system, and the dynamic zones of economic activities, as a parameter that encompasses crucial attributes of both human and natural systems. The paper proposes that the heterogeneity of these interactions and the way they affect the thresholds and resilience of a specific place are important for the understanding of spatial change and for an integrated spatial planning for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper addresses one of the key features of social capital - trust. Based on data from freely available survey, it aims to analyse differences among the rural and urban areas of Europe regarding generalised trust. The importance of generalised trust is emphasised by various theories of social science from various aspects; among others it is considered as a fundamental feature of social reciprocity, solidarity, collective actions, social inclusion, tolerance, confidence in institutions; it is understood, as a basic condition for social integration and democracy. Studies addressing urbanrural "contrast", investigating differences between these two dominant spatial structures have always been in the focus of scientific interest. Trust as it is, is an often analysed issue of these works, yet it is hard to clearly specify urban and rural trust separately, especially the size and direction of differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balanced and sustainable development of the functional area of Čačak is a precondition for greater integration of geospace. Based on the fact that settlements are the most striking elements of the cultural landscape and they are the holders of the functional organization and spatial transformation of geospace, there will be a special emphasis placed on the networking of these settlements and the analysis of its determinants. Both demographic and socioeconomic indicators were analyzed in order to determine the dominant spatial and functional processes occurring in the area that relate to the development of the municipality. Emphasis is placed on the changes in the type of population movement, functional transformation of the settlements, and changes in the level of social geographic transformation of settlements. Analysis of the demographic and socio-economic indicators showed that the settlement network of Čačak is, to a large extent, incoherent. Socio-geographic and functional transformation of settlements is articulated and directed entirely from the municipal center, and consequently the most affected settlements of periurban zone of Čačak and settlements along major roads. Adjusting to the modern development processes requires new spatial-functional relations at the municipality level in order to strengthen territorial cohesion and equal conditions of life.

In this paper is given the scientific explanation of the mutual interaction and interpenetration of geographical position, elements of the natural basis and the relevant socio-economic processes that led to territorial, demographic and functional development of the network of settlements in the Republic of Serbia. Chronologically is given the continuity in functional connections between the settlements, as well as causes, origin and legal development of the urban system in Serbia. Highlighting the problems in distribution of the settlement system of Serbia, in principle is pointed to possible directions of the spatial and functional organization of the network of settlements, in order to achieve, on the one hand, polycentric, sustainable and balanced regional development of Serbia, and on the other, to involve into the development processes of the closer and further regional environment.

The aim of the article is to examine the level of diversity and complexity of the Honduras settlement and transport networks and to identify processes responsible for the development of such networks. According to the analysis, the networks disproportion is not high in Honduras but it can increase in the future due to the attraction of the core areas, emergence of growth poles, migrations and concentration of international trade. The settlement and transport networks are hierarchised.

The initial research carried out for the purpose of elaborating the Spatial Plan for Kosovo-Metohija Lignite Basin indicated the need to address numerous conflicts and opposing interests in the area concerned. This required the Plan to focus on harmonizing the economic, social and spatial aspects of developing a mining-energy-industrial system (hereinafter MEIS) and its surroundings, devising the new ways for the protection of local population interests and use of novel approaches in dealing with the environmental consequences of lignite exploitation and processing. The area wherein Kosovo-Metohija lignite deposits are found is replete with diverse conflicting interests, including insufficient and uneven development, extremely large overall and especially agrarian population density (among the highest in Europe), unemployment and a sizable portion of the grey economy, low level and quality of services of public interest, ethnic conflicts and polarization, etc. The environmental effects of MEIS activities in a situation of this kind were revealed by the early stages of research in all segments of economic, social and spatial development, along with a high degree of environmental degradation. The main conflict in the Plan area is the one between mining and agriculture, i.e. open pit lignite mining and high-fertility soil covering lignite deposits. The conflict is additionally aggravated by the remarkable density of agricultural population on this territory and high selling prices of the land. Therefore, a substantial part of the Plan’s propositions was related to the conditions of settlement and infrastructure relocation, population resettlement and measures to relieve the tensions and prevent the outbreak of potential conflicts in implementing the Plan. The Spatial Plan is conceived as a complex and comprehensive document defining the framework, basic principles, starting points and measures tackling the numerous development conflicts, spatial, social and ecological limitations, including the relevant analytical and data bases deriving from field research and surveys. Despite the fact that under the UN SC Resolution 1244, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija has been under the jurisdiction of the United Nations since June 1999, we believe that the Draft of the Spatial Plan and the research work done for its purpose are still valid, since to this date there have been no attempts to start the formation of new open pits in Kosovo lignite basin.

The paper is part of the study "Specific problems of the development of the settlement network in south-eastern Romania. Regions of development 3 (South), 4 (South-West) and 8 (Bucharest-Ilfov)" elaborated during 2004 – 2006, within the AMTRANS programme funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, coordinated by INCD – URBANPROIECT in partnership with the Institute of Geography of the Romanian Academy and the Qualification in Statistics National Centre. The general objective of the project was sustainable and balanced spatial development of the settlement network and promotion of new relationships between urban and rural. Concretely, the study has produced a model of a polycentric and balanced settlement network according to the European principles. The case study testing and validating this model took place in southern Romania, territory exhibiting acutely the entire range of problems related to the state of the settlement network: profoundly large rural areas, accentuated dynamics of declaring new cities without sufficient evidence, excessive polarization exercised by Bucharest, etc. The paper presents the intervention directions needed to balance in the territory urban poles within the studied area, focusing on the establishment of orientation policies to consolidate the role of each settlement based on the hierarchical level of importance: European, national, regional, and local. The paper also identifies possible functional urban areas: the metropolitan area of Bucharest, areas of potential strategic integration, areas of cooperation between the small and medium-sized cities and the rural regions. Within each of these areas, the paper proposes to establish new relationships between urban and rural based on partnership, involving cooperation and coordination in achieving common goals.The study considers that the poles of development are the key element of proposed model, and their identification, formation, and balanced distribution must represent the main direction of action, orienting policies for the sustainable development of the urban system. The constant financial effort needed to implement integrated policies for a balanced development of the settlement network results into a long term improvement of living conditions in urbane and rural communities.

The demographic development of Vojvodina settlements takes place in accordance with the laws of the urbanization process, which is manifested in two phases: the first - after the Second World War until the beginning of the 80's of the 20th century, which is characterized by a polycentric polarization, and the second - monocentric polarization, which is still present. Since the settlements leave a fundamental mark on the cultural landscape and are the main carriers of the functional organization and focal transformation of geospace, the paper analyzes spatialdemographic and functional determinants of development of the settlement network of the South Banat County (district) on the basis of quantitative and qualitative indicators. The settlement network includes 94 settlements distributed on the territory of 8 municipalities: Pančevo1, Vršac, Kovin, Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovačica, Opovo and Plandište. The time period of the analysis and statistical survey of demographic components in the settlement network is observed through three inter-census periods, as follows: 1981-1991, 1991-2002 and 2002-2011. The analysis of demographic components has indicated that two poles of population concentration dominate within the network of settlements in this district: Pančevo (a sub-centre of the Belgrade - Novi Sad metropolitan area) and Vršac in comparison to other urban centres and the municipality centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this paper are given adapted morphological, demographical and functional determinants of the Novi Pazar municipality development settlement network on the basis of relevant theoretical and methodological assumptions and qualitative and quantitative indicators. Municipality settlement network is observed as a subsystem in the settlement system of Novi Pazar functional area. Specifically are emphasized interdependency and conditionality of settlement functional transformation process, which caused differentiation of community area into an urban core-Novi Pazar, periurban ring- more or less suburban villages and rural surrounding. Suggested is a model of microdeveloping nucleuses as an instrument for community decentralization. On the ground of spatial and functional level of settlement integration some micro functional - micro regional structure of the municipality territory, has been identified.

- The main goal of this paper is to offer an analysis about the urban development strategies in Romania. The focus will be on the transition period (after 1989). Although we can not abstract the outcomes of the urban strategies from the previous period, when the communist state regulation had full controll on the urban policy. Urbanisation was the main goal of communist developments based on the idea of modernisation of the society. Therefore we will offer a brief overwiew of the communiste urban planning strategies. It has been resulted an unbalanced urban hierarchy dominated by the capital city of Bucharest and with a weak level of small cities both in terms of functions and infrastructure. The change of the political system in 1989 has established a new environment for the urban system in Romania, marked by the EU and NATO integration process, by the further globalisation of the romanian economy, privatisation and liberalisation of the urban land- and housing market, decentralisation and growth of the weight and importance of local level. Under this circumctances a new urban development strategy has evolved based on the following elements: a) development of a polycentric and balanced urban system, diminishing the overhelming role of Bucharest and reinforcing the second level of urban centres and the level of small cities; b) a new urbanisation wave has started in 2002, where the main aim is the declaration of new towns. It relies on the fact, that in 1997 the dominant internal migration form became the urban-rural migration, without precedent in the modern history of Romania and therefore the urban population of the country is declining. As result the urbanisation level fo the EU candidate country Romania is well behind the EU level (52%), a situation which should be mastered by the new strategy of urbanisation.

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]

Decentralization and the inclination towards a balanced regional development bring about a redistribution of cities' functions: certain responsibilities are transferred from centres at higher hierarchy levels to regional centres (mostly medium-sized cities). In this context, the authors have analysed the importance of medium-sized cities in the settlement network and discussed the issue of their identification within the national urban system. The purpose of this study is to establish a method for the identification of the set of medium-sized cities within the network of urban settlements, with particular reference to Central Serbia. The authors also compare the method with the one used in Slovenia in order to demonstrate that the phrase "medium-sized city" may have different meanings depending on the context in which it is defined. Along with the demographic size as the most important indicator in defining medium-sized cities, economic, social, functional, infrastructural and institutional criteria have also been taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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