MODERN TENDENCIES OF URBAN SETTLEMENT TRANSFORMATION IN ZAPORIZHIA REGION

Abstract

The system of urban settlement in industrial regions requires special attention in the post-industrial period. Intensive urbanization processes, unsatisfactory demographic situation, economic crisis and geopolitical instability in the region stipulate an uneven distribution of population, especially overpopulation of certain areas within Zaporizhia Region. The aim of this work is to study modern transformation of urban settlement in Zaporizhia Region. To reach the goal, we needed to consider the development of a modern urban settlement system in the region, to analyse population dynamics and to determine the share of urban population in the districts, to determine the influences of the regional capital on the regional urban settlement system, to analyse provision with social institutions in the cities of the region. To perform this study, we applied statistical, bibliographic, cartographic, analytic and synthetic methods, and analyzed the data presented by the Central Statistical Office in Zaporizhia region, as well as legal acts on issues of administrative and territorial division of Ukraine. The article presents the results of population dynamics analysis, compares the share of urban and rural population, and studies the share of urban population in the districts to total urban population in Zaporizhia region. We identified cities and urban villages that recently have moved from one population category of urban settlements to another, and analysed current changes in the provision with social institutions in the cities of the region. Thus, the article lays down the basic functioning and development problems of the urban settlement system in Zaporizhia region.