Small Towns - Engines of Rural Development in the South-Moravian Region (Czechia): An Analysis of the Demographic Development

Abstract

Small towns as a specifi c sector of the settlement system are observed from the demographical viewpoint on the territory of the South-Moravian Region (Czechia). Altogether 23 towns with 4,000 to 12,000 inhabitants were analysed. A long-term analysis (1869-2011; population censes) as well as the last development (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012); population balances) are taken into account. A relatively stable role of small towns in the regional settlement system throughout the period when population censes has taken place and population increases in the contemporary period were stated. The fi rst statement can be related to the rural character of the region where small towns play irreplaceable role. The last development shows that the population increase is directly proportional to the distance from the regional metropolis and inverse to the size of small towns. This corresponds to the concept centre -periphery and to current counter-urbanization trends. Recent demographic development supports the role of small towns in local and micro-regional identity and landscape memory in the era of globalization. Small towns seem to be attractive residential place -although not innovators but residences of many creative people.

Coastal Countryside Innovation Dynamics in North-Western Russia

“…The small and medium-sized cities remain to be the innovation centers for municipalities, concentrating the main industrial, scientific, human, investment, financial and institutional resources. Thus, as previously found by Vaishar et al (2015), they remain as a driving force behind spatial development of local milieu of the countryside as large cities are for the national innovation system. The role of traditional place-specific types of activity (primarily agriculture and the maritime sectors) still remains significant in the structure of the municipal economies of the Leningrad region, however, there has been a trend towards a reduction in the number of business entities in these sectors.…”

“…Similar structural transformations occur in small towns that were established at mineral deposits, historical trade routes, large public industrial complexes, etc. (Vaishar et al, 2015). Modern information communication technologies (ICT), broadband connectivity in particular, compensate the remoteness of rural communities by fostering shrinkage of time and space between the collaborating stakeholders and reinforce the importance of a-spatial proximities (such as cognitive, organizational, technological, etc.)…”

Small Towns in the Context of “Borrowed Size” and “Agglomeration Shadow” Debates: the Case of the South Moravian Region (Czech Republic)

“…Definition of small towns is the crucial issue and it is strongly dependent on a particular urban system hierarchy. In the case of the South Moravian Region, the maximum population size is set to 15,000 inhabitants (besides the metropolis of Brno with almost 400,000 inhabitants, there are five settlements with population size between 20,000 and 35,000 that are considered, together with Brno, large centres) which is in accordance with the studies made by Cigale et al (2006) and Vaishar et al (2015). However, the minimum population size is not defined.…”

Small towns shrinkage in the Jilin Province: A comparison between China and developed countries

“…The combination of globalization and localization factors may lead to migration from small towns, economic deterioration, industry collapse, and loss of employment opportunities [21]. Urbanization attracts rural population and the population of small towns to the cities, resulting in a decline in the ability of small towns to gather rural population, and in a large number of residents leaving these towns [22].…”