Population distribution and concentration of commercial establishments along Latvia's main roads

Population distribution and concentration of commercial establishments along Latvia's main roads

Juris Paiders

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences 

Santa Smirnova

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences 

DOI: 10.22364/fg.15.35

Keywords: commercial objects, population density, roads

Abstract

This article identifies the main factors that affect commercial infrastructure near Latvian motorways, and describes a correlation between the location of commercial infrastructure and population density. Data about commercial infrastructure was obtained through fieldwork and the use of Google Street View. The obtained results have shown that near one of the researched motorways (Inčukalns – Alūksne), population density is the main factor that affects commercial infrastructure location. However, near the other two researched motorways (Rīga – Valka and Rīga – Liepāja) the population density is only one of multiple factors that affect commercial infrastructure location, and is not the primary factor.