Geographia Polonica (2015) vol. 88, iss. 1

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the development of transport infrastructure (modernisation of railway tracks and development of the motorway and expressway network) and its possible effects on regional development in Slovakia. Accessible transport infrastructure (mainly the motorway network) has influenced many decisions concerning the location of industrial investments. The impact of transport infrastructure on the reduction of regional disparities in Slovakia is limited mainly due to the concentration of transport infrastructure investment in the more developed regions of Slovakia. Poorer regions in eastern Slovakia and the southern part of Central Slovakia are still affected by the unfavourable level of accessibility to the transport infrastructure that creates important conditions affecting their development.

Keywords: transport infrastructure development, regional development, travel time, industrial investment location, regional disparities, regional structure, Slovakia

Daniel Michniak [geogmich@savba.sk], Institute of Geography Slovak Academy of Sciences Stefánikova 49, 814 73 Bratislava: Slovakia

Abstract

The article reviews geographical research into the ethnic structure in Poland carried out between the nineteenth century and the beginning of the second decade of the twenty-first century, on this basis identifying and citing the main research trends to ethnic studies engaged in by both historians and sociologists. The author presents what he considers the most important research topics to be addressed in further studies on the ethnicand ethno-regional minorities living in today’s Poland. Varied research methods are discussed, along with their benefits and limitations, and the paper concludes with a presentation of the main conditions influencing dynamic transformations of the ethnic structure in Poland, as well as the most important characteristics of the relationship between the Polish state and ethnic minorities.

Keywords: ethnic minorities, ethnic structure of Poland, political geography

Marek Barwiński, University of Łódź Faculty of Geographical Sciences Kopcińskiego 31, 90-142 Łódź: Poland e-mail: marbar@geo.uni.lodz.pl

Abstract

Although Poland and Israel seem to be very far apart and different in size, history, and culture, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to the history of their international boundaries, the way the boundaries were created, those who established their boundaries, the aim of the location of the boundary lines, and the processesin which the boundaries were developed. Both countries were created by the international community (League of Nations and the United Nations) as nation states; both had large areas in the past but less landarea in modern times. Both have two periods of boundary allocations in the modern era: after the first andthe second World Wars. Both had been attacked after independence and enlarged their area by fighting the attackers. There are also some non-similarities between their boundaries. The major difference being that Poland’s boundaries have remained stable since 1951 and almost nobody has asked for changes. Israel, on the other hand, still does not have permanent stable acceptance of boundaries by its inhabitants.

Keywords: boundary making, imposed boundaries, international boundaries, nation state, world wars

Gideon Biger [bigergideon@gmail.com], Department of Geography and Human Environment Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv: Israel

Abstract

This article presents the historical and political conditioning leading to the establishment of the contemporary Polish-German border along the ‘Oder-Neisse Line’ (formed by the rivers known in Poland as the Odra and Nysa Łużycka). It is recalled how – at the moment a Polish state first came into being in the 10 th century – its western border also followed a course more or less coinciding with these same two rivers. In subsequent centuries, the political limits of the Polish and German spheres of influence shifted markedly to the east. However, as a result of the drastic reverse suffered by Nazi Germany, the western border of Poland was re-set at theOder-Neisse Line. Consideration is given to both the causes and consequences of this far-reaching geopolitical decision taken at the Potsdam Conference by the victorious Three Powers of the USSR, UK and USA.

Keywords: Oder-Neisse Line, western border of Poland, Potsdam Conference, international boundaries

Piotr Eberhardt [p.ebe@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

In this article the future evolution of the settlement system of Poland is discussed using selected scenarios anticipated for the European space. For this purpose two alternative reference scenarios are outlined and examined in the light of some specific characteristics of Poland’s metropolitan development. The questions posed in this context involve the sustainability of policy assumptions concerning the role of cities of various size categories, as well as factors that could lead to a discontinuity in the trends observed in metropolisation.

Keywords: metropolitan development, European space, reference scenarios, trend reversal

Ewa Korcelli-Olejniczak [eko@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Piotr Korcelli [korcelli@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

The paper attempts to discuss research on spatial variation in the distribution of the headquarters of 100 leading IT corporations by city in the years 2003-2011. The research shows that the global space offers powerful opportunities for differentiating the headquarters of leading IT corporations. This is emphasised by the number of headquarters per city and their spatial concentration. Predominantly, they can be found in six areas: the Japanese-Korean area, eastern China, the West Coast of the USA, the East Coast of the USA, the central partof the USA, and north-western Europe. Tokyo, Kyoto, Hsinchu, Paris, Santa Clara, San Jose, Sunnyvale and Taipei offer the best conditions for locating headquarters of IT corporations and house the highest numberof headquarters.

Keywords: IT corporation • economic potential • settlement concentration

Wioletta Kilar, Pedagogical University of Krakow Department of Entrepreneurship and Spatial Management Podchorążych 2, 30-084 Krakow: Poland

Abstract

Economic transformation has been gaining ground in the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe since the change of system. This descriptive paper explores the locational patterns of enterprise in the Vilnius urban region during the post-communist transition of Lithuania. Cartographical techniques are used to map the changes that took place between 1994 and 2011. The results show a sharp increase in the numberof enterprises in the urban core and a very modest increase outside this zone. However, the maps reveal divergent locational patterns for different sectors of the urban economy.

Keywords: post-socialist economic development, spatial transformation, Vilnius urban region, Lithuania

Rūta Ubarevičienė, Institute of Human Geography and Demography Lithuanian social research center Goštauto 11, LT-01108 Vilnius: Lithuania
Donatas Burneika [donatas.geo@gmail.com], Institute of Human Geography and Demography Lithuanian social research center Goštauto 11, LT-01108 Vilnius: Lithuania

Marek Degórski [m.degor@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland

Antoni Jackowski, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management Jagiellonian University Gronostajowa 7, 31-007 Krakow: Poland
Małgorzata Taborska, Jagiellonian University Museum Jagiellońska 15, 31-010 Krakow: Poland

Abstract

The study presents a brief review of Polish regions’ participation in the global economy in 2011 based on exportlinkages at the local level (LAU 1). It identifies both the key actors in the globalisation processes withinthe country and the types of territories that share common trends in geographic and product export structures.The paper deals with a delimitation of areas of export concentration. A total of 23 areas have been identifiedaccounting for nearly 60% of Polish exports. Both the economic strength of the regions as reflected in theirrespective figures and the long-established position of industry in the national economy resulted in a widerange of areas discussed here.

Keywords: export linkages, geographic and export product diversification, areas of export concentration, geography of trade in Poland

Barbara Szejgiec [b.szejgiec@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Tomasz Komornicki [t.komorn@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland