Development of the network of population and settlements at the end of the 20 th century – beginning of the 21 st century in Biržai district municipality

Abstract

The research examines the development of the population and settlement network at the sub-regional and local level from the end of the 20th century – to the beginning of the 21st century in Biržai district municipality. This choice of research scale allows a better understanding of the mechanisms and their causes that drive population change. The main goal of the study is to determine the change in the population and the development of the settlement network on the basis of the data of the 1989, 2001 and 2011 censuses. Summarizing the analyzed indicators, it is clear that the population decreased in all elderships of Biržai district municipality during this period. Even in five rural elderships of Biržai district municipality, the population density in 2011 was less than 12.5 inhabitants km2, which is the boundary of a sparsely populated area. It is important that the city of Biržai forms an area of influence in which the neighboring elderships of Biržai city demographically disappeared more slowly than the periphery elderships of Biržai district municipality. And the suburban Širvėna eldership was characterized by the best demographic indicators among all rural elderships. Keywords: population; settlements; demography; Biržai district municipality.