Main Statistical Office Research Articles

Do Local Socio-Economic Structures Determine the Spatial Distribution of Human Capital? Analysis of Connections for Rural Areas in Poland

The article has an empirical nature. The subject of detailed analysis is the variations in spatial distribution of human capital in rural areas of Poland and the analysis of the correlation of this phenomenon with local structures of the socio-economic development process. The diagnosis and assessment of variations in the spatial distribution of human capital were performed based on an author’s indicator—a synthetic measure of human capital level (HCI—human capital index). The characterisation of local socio-economic structures was based on the typology of rural areas according to Rural Development Monitoring (RDM 2014 and 2023). The study was conducted for rural areas in Poland defined by the Main Statistical Office based on the administrative criteria of rural and rural-urban municipalities. A total of 2172 municipalities were covered by the study. The data analysis was conducted spatially at the NUTS 5 level and comparatively at the NUTS 2 level for the years 2013–2018. The assumption was verified that the processes of human capital concentration in rural areas in Poland are related to local socio-economic structures of development processes, and the local structure factor that influences the existing differences is the degree of use of agricultural functions. The results of statistical tests positively verify this relationship as statistically significant. Moreover, the article provides strong arguments for shaping regional and rural policy and its implementation. The assumption about the need to change the approach to the study of rural space was positively verified; it is suggested to move away from analyses conducted at the level of the NUTS 2 region to the level of the NUTS 5 municipality. Research on rural areas makes sense only from a local perspective; it allows for a more accurate illustration of the specificity of local communities, revealing their development potentials and barriers, and, as a result, more effective programming of instruments supporting local development, dedicating specific support programs individually for each municipality, while the regional approach presents the state of differences too generally and may often lead to incorrect interpretation. In the empirical part of the article, taxonomic methods of hierarchy (patternless) and classification of multi-featured objects were used. As a result, each object (municipality) was assigned a synthetic measure—the relative human capital level index (HCI). Based on the HCI index, an ex-post hierarchical classification of municipalities was carried out. The main sources of data (diagnostic variables) for the construction of the HCI index were the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office (BDL GUS), the national census of NSP 2011, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, and District Examination Boards. The source of data on local socio-economic structures expressed based on the typology of rural areas according to the Rural Development Monitoring (RDM) methodology was the European Fund for the Development of Polish Villages (EFRWP).

АНАЛІЗ ДИНАМІКИ НАРОДЖЕННЯ ДІТЕЙ З АУТОСОМНИМИ ТРИСОМІЯМИ ПО ХМЕЛЬНИЦЬКІЙ ОБЛАСТІ

In the face of challenging modern demographic conditions, the imperative of preserving human life is becoming increasingly urgent. Environmental pollution, a deteriorating ecological landscape, imbalanced nutrition, unhealthy lifestyles, the accumulation of hereditary defects, and a rising genetic burden collectively exert adverse effects on Ukraine's gene pool. This unfortunate scenario contributes to the increased rate of early child mortality and the birth of children with disabilities [7].
 The objective of this study was to analyze the trends in child births with Down, Edwards, and Patau syndromes while investigating the influence of maternal age on the incidence of these genetic anomalies in the Khmelnytskyi region from 2017 to 2021.
 We conducted an analysis of statistical data pertaining to newborns, utilizing information from the Main Statistical Office in the Khmelnytskyi region. This investigation was undertaken in collaboration with the medical and genetic consultation department of the KP "Khmelnytskyi City Perinatal Center." It involved a comprehensive review of outpatient records for patients born with Down, Edwards, and Patau syndromes, aimed at understanding the clinical condition of the infants and the course of pregnancy in their mothers.
 The analysis revealed that a total of 50,475 babies were born in the region over the course of five years. However, an annual decrease in the birth rate was observed, with an average reduction of 705 children per year. The incidence rate of newborns with Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, and Patau syndrome ranged from 0.10% to 0.13%. During the research period, 45 children with Down syndrome were born in the Khmelnytskyi region. Cytogenetic analysis indicated that 39 of these children (87 %) had a complete trisomy, 4 had a mosaic form (9 %), and 2 (4 %) had a translocation form. Children with complete trisomy exhibited four or more phenotypic features simultaneously. In the region, 12 children were born with Edwards syndrome, including 9 with complete trisomy and 3 with a mosaic form. No newborns were identified with partial trisomy. Cases included both full-term and premature births, as well as instances of infant mortality. Two children with Patau syndrome were born (1 boy in 2017 and 1 girl in 2019), both with complete trisomy. They were born full-term but with low birth weight and multiple developmental disabilities, with one child surviving for 12 hours and the other for 31 hours.
 Upon analyzing the age of the parents of the probands, it was discovered that the majority (38 mothers, 64 %) were not within the age risk group for having a child with trisomy. This suggests that women of any age can be at risk of having a child with trisomy. Thus, there is a clear need for medical-genetic counseling and prenatal screening for every pregnant woman during the first trimester of pregnancy.

The Leontief Model in Research into the Economic Importance of Small Seaports: A Case Study

Purpose: The article defines the economic importance of the seaport of Kolobrzeg, a local port located in the western part of the Polish Baltic coast. The study has distinguished three effects, direct, indirect, and induced, which constitute a full spectrum of the seaport's impact. The effects were discussed in terms of the output, the gross wages, and the employment figure. The subject matter discussed in the article is an introduction to a more extensive study, which is to be conducted on a representative group of local seaports. Design/Methodology/Approach: The port's significance in Kolobrzeg was determined using the Leontief model. The scope of the economic impact of the port was related to the Koszalinski subregion, a territorial unit at the NUTS 3 level. Regionalization of the national input-output table was performed using the Flegg Location Quotient (FLQ). The study was based on available statistical data, information obtained from the Main Statistical Office (GUS), and survey results. Findings: The importance of the port of Kolobrzeg is determined by the multiplier value, which is lower than in previous studies due to the reference area being narrowed down, and by the use of the FLQ formula reducing the self-supplying ability of the Koszalin subregion. The induced and direct effects had the most significant impact on the economy of the subregion, with the indirect effect being of a minor significance. Practical Implications: The study provides the decision-makers with information on the scope of impact and the economic significance of the Kolobrzeg port. They allow for a concentration of investment funds in the areas with the most significant impact on the local economy. Originality/Value: In foreign literature, the are no studies on the importance of a seaport following the format: local port – regionalization of the national table using the FLQ – reference area below the NUTS 2 level. In the case of Polish seaports, no author has comprehensively determined their economic importance.

Development of Solid Biomass Production in Poland, Especially Pellet, in the Context of the World’s and the European Union’s Climate and Energy Policies

The aim of this research was to present the changes in biomass production, especially pellets in Poland, in the context of world’s and European Union’s (EU) climate and energy policy, compared to other renewable energy sources. We also analyzed the law concerning the biomass production in the EU. Finally, we have elaborated the prognosis of the pellet production on the world scale. We have used different methods to achieve the goals, among which the most important are the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH model) and prognosis. We also compared the results of pellet production in different countries in the European Union. The results were presented in tabular and graphic form. We have received the data from Eurostat and the Main Statistical Office (MSO) in Poland. Our research proves the increase of biomass and pellet production on the global scale. Moreover, global wood pellet production increased by 972% in the years 2005–2018. We can conclude that this increase was the result of increasing demand for renewable energy sources. The first research hypothesis assumed that the changes in the European Union Policy have impacted the increase of biomass production in the world. Our prognosis confirmed the second hypothesis that the development of pellets will increase as the result of increasing global demand. The use of more renewable energy sources is necessary to decrease the degradation of the environment.

Variation Between Voivodships in Terms of Forest Area and Silviculture Activities in Polish Forests in 2015-2019

The objective of the study reported here was to compare voivodships in terms of forest area, forest regeneration area, afforested area, thinned forest area and natural forest regeneration area Main Statistical Office data for Polish voivodships was analysed. It included forest area, natural forest regeneration and silviculture activities (forest regeneration, afforestations and thinning) in all forests, state-owned forests and privately-owned forests. Voivodships were compared using the arithmetic mean, the indicator of structure, the average rate of change, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Principal Component Analysis, revealed that state-owned forest area, forest regeneration in state forests, total forest regeneration, and thinning in state-owned forests had the greatest share in the multivariate variation among voivodships analysed in terms of forestry. Cluster analysis yielded two groups of voivodships. The voivodships in the first group had a higher average total forest area, area of state-owned forests, total area of forest regeneration and forest regeneration in state-owned forests, area of natural forest regeneration and thinning in state-owned forests. On average, forests of voivodships which formed group 2 included less privately-owned forests in which fewer forest regeneration and afforestation activities had been conducted. Opolskie and Śląskie Voivodships as well as Łódzkie and Świętokrzyskie Voivodships were the most similar in terms of all the analysed characteristics.

Security of Public Finances under Economic Crisis and Pandemic: Theoretical-Empirical Aspects

Purpose: Determining the interdependence between the economic prosperity and the development of financial balance and debt in the general government sector in the 21st century (in the global, regional (EU) and Poland’s dimensions). Assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public finances. Methodology: Analysis of contemporary concepts and legal system solutions relating to the subjective and objective aspects of public finance and their impact on the economic and financial security of the State. Evaluation of the security of public finance based on the balance and debt formation of the general government institutions, with particular emphasis on periods of economic prosperity downturns and crises. Descriptive correlation of selected indicators of 2000-2001, obtained from the database of the International Monetary Fund, Eurostat, Polish Ministry of Finance, and the Main Statistical Office. Conclusions: In relation to the situation in the 21st century, the fundamental paradigms relating to the interdependence between the cyclical course of the economic prosperity and the situation of public finance have been confirmed. Significant differences were also observed, with respect to individual regions of the world and individual countries. In economic and budgetary policy, too little importance was given to budget balance and public debt in the medium and long term. Practical implications: In the fiscal policy and financial security policy, it is necessary to keep appropriate proportions between the realization of current social needs and shaping the conditions of economic and social development in the medium and long term. The composition of revenue and expenses and public incomes and expenditures should take much more into account the consequences of excessive budget deficits and the burden of public debt, which are intergenerational in nature. The management of the risk of breaching the stability and security of general government finance should become an obligatory subject of current and strategic economic and fiscal policy. Originality/Value: The study is theoretical and empirical. The study clarifies the today’s prevailing legal concepts and interpretations relating to the essence and nature of economic security and the public finance. Descriptive and statistical analyses of macroeconomic determinants of the public finance balance and the public debt in the years 2000-2021 enabled to show the correctness in their formation under conditions of economic collapse and crises, also in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Identification of the Conditions for Organic Agriculture Development in Polish Districts—An Implementation of Canonical Analysis

Organic farming in Poland has been developing dynamically since the accession to the EU. However, there are considerable differences in the level of organic farming development in particular regions. Therefore, it is vital to identify the primary factors and conditions for this development and their importance considering their spatial distribution. The presented paper aims to estimate the relationships between the level of organic agriculture development and selected conditions of financial and environmental character. The investigation is based on primary data for 2017 retrieved from the Local Data Bank of the Main Statistical Office and Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection database for all Poland districts. In order to achieve this objective, a multivariate statistical analysis method—the canonical correlation was applied. The analysis was preceded by constructing the composite indices of organic agriculture development and its conditions based on a Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method and correlation analysis between the indices developed by the authors. The performed canonical analysis showed two statistically significant canonical variables with relatively high values of the canonical correlation (0.74 and 0.59). It proves that the degree of explaining the variability of one set of variables through linear relationships (referring to the level of organic farming development), by the second input data set (describing the determinants of the development), by successive pairs of canonical variables is high. This means that the created model describes relatively well the considered data sets.

Results of European Union Cohesion Policy in Terms of Quality of Life Improvement on a Regional Level (as Exemplified by Eastern Poland)

The aim of the article is to evaluate the significance of the European Union funds supporting the cohesion policy, which the Eastern Polish local governments benefit from in order to improve their residents’ quality of life. Empirical data used in the research concerns five provinces located in Eastern Poland and the research data comes from the sources of the Polish Main Statistical Office in Warsaw. The temporal scope of the study encompasses the period 2004-2018. The choice of the spatial scope of the research is justified by the peripheral location of Eastern Poland, as well as the fact that this region benefits from the EU Programme financially supporting local government units. The article elaborates on the use of the EU funds aiming to enhance the cohesion policy performed by local governments of Eastern Poland and the residents’ opinion on the improvement of their quality of life. The research proves that the provinces of Eastern Poland are particularly qualified to gain financial funding from the European Union due to their lower level of Gross Domestic Product per capita compared to the country as a whole. According to the residents of Eastern Poland, their quality of life has improved and can be treated as comparable to the country’s average, even though slightly worse. The research confirms the elaboration’s hypothesis that the use of the EU funds by the local governments in Eastern Poland results in the increased country cohesion measured by the improvement of residents’ quality of life. This, in turn, constitutes a vital outcome of the European Union cohesion policy.

ДЕМОГРАФІЧНА БЕЗПЕКА ЛЬВІВСЬКОЇ ОБЛАСТІ: ПРОБЛЕМИ ТА РИЗИКИ ЇЇ ДОСЯГНЕННЯ

The demographic situation in Lviv region has been assessed, namely – the population number and density, birth and death rates, the natural increase, the causes of death, the average life expectancy, age and sexual structure, demographic load, the age of maternity, and migration movement of population, as for the administrative-territorial units. The main problems and risks concerning demographic safety of the administrative subdivisions of Lviv region have been pointed out. The factors influencing this were determined, namely: the demogeographic location, economic, social, cultural, religion and behavioral factors, as well as indirect relationships with foreign policy, state and military safety through the social-geographic location. The new model of the demographic behavior that is being formed in Lviv region is characterized by the prevalence of families with few children, the low level of early marriages and births, as well as the increase in the average age of giving birth, the high level of extramarital births, and the prevalence of the psychological motives of giving birth. The migration behavior took the new features of the movement of urban dwellers and residents of remote villages into suburban areas, that caused the deterioration of the demographic indices and the decrease of demographic safety level. The method of the determining the integral assessments of the levels of demographic safety, demographic threats, demographic risk, and demographic danger of the region has been revealed. The level of the demographic safety (danger) is expressed by the indicators, which normalization serves as the basis for the calculation of the integral index of the demographic safety of the region. The latter was calculated from the official data of the State statistical service of Ukraine and the Main statistical office in Lviv region. The regional features of the demographic safety of Lviv region have been determined, and administrative-territorial units were typified according to the levels and tendencies of their demographic safety. It was determined that in 2018 five districts (Brody, Zhydachiv, Peremyshliany, Radehiv, and Stryi) and four cities of regional significance (Boryslav, Drohobych, Morshyn, and Chervonohrad) were in the state of demographic danger (0,0–0,382), while Yavoriv district and the city of Stryi – were in the state of demographic risk (0.619–0.854). No single administrative-territorial unit of Lviv region were in the state of demographic safety (0.855–1), while all the other units were in the state of demographic threat (0.383–0.618). The optimizing measures were proposed for minimizing the demographic danger and lessening demographic threats in Lviv region.

Price volatility of agricultural land in Poland in the context of the European Union

In this paper the price volatility of land in Poland is examined during the years 1992-2016. The analysis concentrates particularly on stationarity, variation and GARCH. Differences in land price changes in particular provinces in Poland are presented and land prices in Poland are compared with other EU countries. The land market in Poland is diverse. Purchasers can buy land from private owners in the market and from the government’s Agricultural Property Agency. Generally, land offered by the Agricultural Property Agency is cheaper, but it is also more difficult to purchase. The authors of the paper used and analyzed quarterly price data from the main Statistical Office in Warsaw in PLN. The survey found high variability for land prices in Poland. The price of agricultural land has increased significantly since the integration of Poland into the EU. In 2016 the average price of land from the (APA) Agricultural Property Agency increased by 791% and the average price of private agricultural land increased by 690.2% in comparison to 2004. The prices of land differ regionally in Poland. In 2016 compared to 2005 the price of land increased the most in Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship (587,2%), Opolskie voivodeship (547,8%) and Lubuskie voivodeship (534,9%). In 2016 in comparison to 2005 the price of agricultural land increased the least in Małopolskie voivodeship (252,6%), Podlaskie voivodeship (295,0%) and Łódzkie voivodeship (304,9%). The study presents the descriptive statistics of agricultural land. The coefficient of variation of price changes in the years 2005-2016 was the highest in Slovakia (69,8%), Romania (60,4%) and Estonia (59,4%) and the lowest in Italy (9,2%) and France (12,1%). The ADF test (Augmented Dickey-Fuller test) shows that the agricultural land prices data can be classified as not stationary. The implication of the GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity) model of price volatility of agricultural land is that conditional volatility cannot be confirmed.

Analiza rynku owoców jagodowych – wybrane elementy

Celem pracy była identyfikacja zmian zachodzących na rynku owoców jagodowych w Polsce oraz w wybranych krajach Unii Europejskiej, w latach 2006-2017. W opracowaniu dostępnych danych i prezentacji wyników badań wykorzystano metody opisowe i porównawcze. W publikacji wykorzystano dane GUS oraz FAO, dotyczące powierzchni upraw, wielkości produkcji i spożycia owoców, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem owoców jagodowych, na świecie i wybranych krajach Unii Europejskiej oraz w Polsce. Analizą objęto lata 2006–2017 dla Polski w odniesieniu do powierzchni upraw i wielkości produkcji, lata 2006-2017 w odniesieniu do wielkości spożycia, a w badaniach Polski na tle świata i wybranych krajów UE, ze względu na wielkość produkcji i powierzchnię upraw owoców jagodowych, uwzględniono rok 2016.

Human development level as a modifier of education efficiency

The aim of the study was to demonstrate the connection between education efficiency level and human development level. It was assumed that there is a connection between the value of Local Human Development Index (LHDI) and education efficiency established by means of the data envelopment analysis (DEA). The analysis covered data regarding 60 counties, recorded in 2013-2015. 30 counties with the highest Local Human Development Index (LHDI) and 30 counties with the lowest LHDI value were selected. The counties were selected based on a 2010 ranking of counties ordered according to LHDI values, published as a part of the National Report on Human Development. An additional analysis was conducted to evaluate the connection between Education Efficiency Index and the Wealth Index, Health Index and Education Index. The data on the counties used for the analyses was obtained from the Local Data Bank kept by the Main Statistical Office of Poland (GUS) and the Education Research Institute (IBE) of the Ministry of National Education. The efficiency analysis based on DEA-CRS was conducted with DEAFrontier software. The final stage of the analyses involved an ANOVA unidimensional analysis of variance for multiple factors, with emphasis on contrast analysis (simple contrast). The quality predictor applied in those analyses was the class of Efficiency Index. The analyses demonstrate that the highest Education Efficiency Index has been recorded in the counties that have the highest values of analysed variables characteristic of the largest counties. The identified dependency is also associated with the highest value of Local Human Development Index and the measures that make up LHDI.

"Building Insurance Brand Image In The Sme Sector In Poland - An Empirical Study "

The source of the distinctive offer are: product design, its features, technology of production, consumer services and a well-known brand appreciated by consumers. Branded products are perceived by consumers as remarkable, that are not able to be substituted by the goods offered by competitors. The brand and its image provide the customer with an emotional or symbolic benefits that are essential in building strong relations between a company and its clients. The similar mechanism is observed on the insurance market. PZU SA has been the best known Polish insurance company indicated by SMEs for the period 2012-2017. It is worth to mention that its spontaneous brand awareness is over 90%. For these reasons PZU SA can be perceived as a good example of the business model for other insurance companies. The aim of this paper is to identify the most important factors that affect the image of insurance companies present on the Polish market. Basing on the association tests the authors also tried to discover the specific image of each company. The method of direct interview was used to collect data from respondents representing the SME sector (survey method: direct interview (PAPI)). For each of the groups, the sampled group is representative. To present results independently from the number of employees shown in the report as SMEs IN TOTAL (weighted data in total), a system of weightings was developed to allow obtaining results for the entire market. The sampling was done randomly using a list of companies drawn up by the Main Statistical Office (GUS). The algorithm for selecting companies to represent the SME sector was developed by a specialist from Qualifact company. Companies were chosen with the use of systematic draw technique. Targeting the examined population according to the section (production, construction, trade, hotels / restaurants, transport, financial intermediation, real estate, education, others) and province, guaranteed appropriate proportion of the number of companies representing different economic sectors.

EXPLORING THE FACTORS OF FARMLAND ABANDONMENT – A CASE STUDY OF THE CHOSEN POLISH METROPOLITAN AREAS

The main aim of this paper was to assess the factors of farmland abandonment in selected metropolitan areas in Poland. The research used secondary research material, including data from the Main Statistical Office (Polish GUS) and academic literature. Analyses were conducted by means of the method of regression trees, among other things. The research found out that nearly 16% of farmland in Polish metropolitan areas had been abandoned. The factor that most affected set-aside was the share of small farms with an area of less than 5 ha of agricultural land. In communes with the majority of small farms, almost 30% of agricultural land was set aside. Entrepreneurship indicator, population density and net migration were also significant in explaining the phenomenon discussed in the paper. High values of these measures correlated with more advanced processes of farmland abandonment.

Pro-Ecological Energy Solutions which Minimize The Use of Fossil Fuels in The Roofed Facilities

Abstract The paper, based on the materials of the Main Statistical Office, presents a present state of use of renewable energy sources in the Polish power industry. Moreover, based on the available data, the amount of energy used for roofed production was estimated (heat, electric energy). Additionally, the amount of emission to atmosphere of hazardous substances (sulphur oxides, lead oxides, carbon dioxide and carbon oxide, dust and benzo(a) piren) was determined. Based on the available literature, technical solutions, which are analysed in various scientific centres, which aim at decrease of fuel consumption, were presented. A detailed analysis focused on the possibility of substituting fossil fuel with another heat source, effectiveness of energy use, increase of insulation ability of the facility roof and modification of greenhouses structures. From among the available energy sources, problems and its possible use in horticultural production were presented. The following energy sources were analysed: geothermal energy, sun and wind energy, biomass, heat pump; co-generative system (triple co-generative). Also barriers and possibilities of use of own boiler house and heat from central heating grid as energy source were analysed.

Korzyści materialne z wykształcenia formalnego w Polsce

Okres transformacji systemowej to w Polsce czas istotnych zmian w strukturze wykształcenia społeczeństwa, a także poszczególnych grup zawodowych (wyodrębnianych z uwzględnieniem klasyfikacji ISCO-COM 88). Stąd w pracy badano, czy zmiany w strukturze wykształcenia (o zróżnicowanym natężeniu w poszczególnych grupach zawodowych) przekładały się na zmiany relacji przeciętnego wynagrodzenia brutto w danej grupie zawodowej i wśród ogółu zatrudnionych w Polsce. Analizy prowadzono na podstawie danych Eurostatu i GUS-u. Horyzont czasowy prowadzonych analiz wyznaczają lata 2002-2012.

The Evaluation of Efficiency of Polish Agriculture

The objective of the paper was to recognize the efficiency of Polish agriculture. We have studied data from Main Statistical Office (MSO) and compared the efficiency in the years 2000–2010. The data proved that the efficiency of Polish agriculture improved in the analyzed period. To measure the impact of macroeconomic variables we introduced these into the regression model. The macroeconomic factors included: X1 (nominal prices of land), X2 (land prices expressed in dt), X3 (inflation), X4 (investment in agriculture and hunting), X5 (balance of trade) and X6 (GDP). We wanted to recognize the impact of macroeconomic factors on: Y1 (gross output), Y2 (intermediate consumption), Y3 (gross value added). Multiple regression was used to measure the impact of macroeconomic factors on global production of agriculture. The strongest impact on gross value added had: X4 (investment in agriculture and horticulture) and X4 (trade balance). Poland is a member of European Union and the Common Agricultural Policy has improved the situation in agriculture. There are about 2 100 000 farms in Poland but only 300 000–400 000 are producing for the market. Other farms have social functions and are place for work for rural inhabitants.

RESEARCH OF AIR POLLUTION FROM TRAFFIC IN «STREET CANYONS» OF CITY

Purpose . The article is devoted to state analyze of atmospheric air at its pollution with vehicle emissions in Dnipropetrovsk city, the development a numerical model and applied computing program for research of air pollution level with vehicle emissions on the streets when several buildings are located on the scheme «street canyon». Methodology. To achieve the research purpose it was studied the dynamic of change concentration of different pollutants that have been fixed on monitoring station of air quality in Dnipropetrovsk city. It was performed level assessment of air pollution from traffic (according to the Main Statistical Office in Dnipropetrovsk region). It was developed methodology for numerical calculation of concentration the atmospheric air pollution from vehicle emissions. To solve hydrodynamic task of determining velocity field of wind flow in streets the model of separated flows of an inviscid fluid was used; to solve the task of the calculation process of dispersion pollution the equation of convective-diffusion transfer of pollutant was used. To implement the proposed methodology we used implicit difference schemes. Findings . In the work a mathematical numerical model was developed and computing programs on its base were created. It allows conducting the computational experiments for evaluation the level of air pollution from vehicle emissions on the streets when several buildings are located on the scheme «street canyon». As a result of research regulations on change concentration of carbon monoxide near a considered group of buildings at different pollutant emissions were established. Originality . This numerical model was developed which allows accounting the hydrodynamic impact of group buildings on dispersion of pollutants when the wind speed and the vertical diffusion coefficient vary with height. Practical value. Conducting such class of computational experiments is necessary in the case of reconstruction of city microregions, during the planning and construction of new highways, change in the structure of traffic in the city.

Synthetic development measure of local administration size in Poland / Syntetyczny wskaźnik rozmiaru administracji lokalnej w Polsce

This paper is dedicated to analysing the size of local administration. On the basis of literature study, ten variables that define size of local administration were chosen, out of these variables two synthetic measures were created. The sizes of local administration at the level of voivodships were calculated for 2013. The research results show a big differentiation among the analysed units in Poland. Data were sourced from the Polish Main Statistical Office (GUS). Taxonomic methods were used in the analysis – synthetic measures were constructed on the basis of the Hellwig method.

Rotating Point Symbols on Animated Maps for the Presentation of Quantitative Data

The aim of these considerations was to study the efficiency of cartographic animations with the use of dynamic signs to present variability of the statistics. In the animations, geometric point symbols were used, rotation speed of which informed about the level of unemployment in the biggest cities of Poland in years 2002 and 2012. In this study we focused on the number of class intervals and on a graphical element that reinforces the perception of rotation speed. The animation was made in Adobe Flash Professional CS5 basing on the da ta from the Main Statistical Office in Poland. 34 geography students participated in the experiment. On the basis of four versions of the animation, they were answering questions about changes in the level of unemployment in the biggest cities of Poland. The results allowed us to evaluate the usefulness of dynamic rotating symbols in reading spatial relationships of the statistical data, referenced to points in aspect of spatio-temporal changes.