CONFERENCESettlement of the Riga Agglomeration and Its Changes
Toms Skadins
University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences
DOI: 10.22364/fg.16.9
Keywords: agglomeration, Riga, population density, population and settlement change
Abstract
In this research paper the population distribution (density) and its changes (grid data) are analyzed as well as the impact of roads (national and local level; mobility aspect). Situation of 2011 and 2017 is compared. Results indicate that in both cases low level of urbanization is prevalent, with half of the area being populated by less than 300 people. Similarly large areas are uninhibited. Cities (especially Riga) have experienced the biggest decrease. But it should be mentioned that the biggest increase has also been in Riga; mostly in the outskirts of the city. Large areas of increase can indeed be found in territories that border Riga (there are also some areas there that have experienced a decrease). Increase has also occurred in some territories on the edge of agglomeration, suggesting that counter urbanization process takes place there. Roads have an impact concerning the population distribution, as less than one fifth of cells that roads cross are uninhibited (in both cases). It has to be mentioned that, in most cases there are less 300 people living in those cells and the average density is little lower compared to the entire agglomeration. In most cells (711 out of 1677 or 42,4%) the total population has not changed and in 34% of cells the total population has decreased.