Sikos T, Tamás

Repository of the Academy's Library

Lichionberyer, E.--P écsi, M. (eds.) Contemporary Essays in Austrian and Hungarian Geography, Studies in Geography in Hungary, 22 Akadémiai Kiadó Budapest, 1988MATHEMATICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL INVFJSTIGATIOIMS OF SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL SETTLEMENTS OF BORSOD-ABAÚJ-ZEMPLÉN COUNTYbyTamás T. SÍKOSSUMMARYAt present the problem of the infrastructure level of the settlements in Hungary is at the very centre of sc ien tific  interest. It has been verified that as from the 1970ies the infrastructural level of a settlement has determinded both the amount of m igration and the tempo of housing development to a large extent. It can influence the decision as to the changing of the working-place and the development of settlements or the se ttle ­ment pattern.There are unfavourable processes in th is fie ld , too, e.g. a quick population loss of some rural settlements, the depopulation even of some v illages, an overcrowding of some others, etc. Understandably there were discussions about the establishment of the basic fa c ilit ie s  and about an equal d istribution of technical infrastructure on a regionallevel.The aim of this paper is to examine the spatial differences that can be found in the level of infrastructure in the rural settlements of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county.As a result of these investigations the fo llow ing statements can be made for the 352 rural settlements of the county. More than 40% of them have an infrastructure being in the in itia l stage of development. Another 40% have a weakly developed infrastructure associated w ith  medium rate public fa c ilit ie s . Only 17% of the rural settlements have medium to better infrastructure, and only 10 dynamically developing settlements can be said to have a suburban type of Infrastructure (that is  less than 3%).The study proved the important role of the transport network in developing infra­structure in the case of rural settlements.The series of maps and the mathematical methods used make it possible to Indicate those areas, in which rural settlements which are weakly developed and have lower- level fa c ilit ie s  only are most frequent. They are mainly the settlements of the CserehátRange, the karst areas of Northern Borsod, the Bodrogköz, the Bükk Mountains and the Borsod-Mezöség. We believe that the methodological progress of our work lies in exploring the meaning of the rotated factors and presenting those factors that play leading roles in the formation of a developed infrastructure. (F1 = the development level of basic fa c il i­ties, F = the dynamics and quality of housing construction, -  communication level,F^= unfavourable residential and communal conditions)197The Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, as a model-area, showed that factor and cluster analyses are suitable for typ ify ing the residental fa c ilit ie s  in Hungary or other counties, after making some modifications in the data-bank.ZUSAMMENFASSUNGIn Ungarn gelangte die infrastrukturelle Versorgung der Siedlungen in den Mittelpunkt des wissenschaftlichen Interesses. Es erwies s ich , daß das Niveau der infrastrukturellen Versorgung - besonders von den 70-er Jahren an - das Tempo der Abwanderung der Bevöl­kerung, und des Wohnungsbaus bestimmt, zum Arbeitsplatzwechsel motivieren kann undletzten Endes auf die Entwicklung der Siedlungen w ie des Siedlungsnetzes einen bedeuten­den Einfluß ausübt.In diesem Zusammenhang sind auch ungünstige Prozesse festzustellen (rascher Bevöl­kerungsverlust in einigen Dorfsiedlungen, Entvölkerung einiger Dörfer, zu hohe Dichte in anderen). Es is t daher durchaus verständlich, daß im Rahmen der S iedlungspolitik in denvergangenen Jahren dem Entwicklungsgrad des Grundnetzes an Einrichtungen und dem regionalen Ausgle ich bezüglich der technischen Infrastruktur besonderes vie l Augenmerk geschenkt wurde.A ls Ergebnis der Forschungen konnte für 352 Dörfer des Komitates Borsod-Abauj- Zemplén folgendes festgestelit werden: Über 40 % der Dorfs iedl ungen des Komitates verfügen nur über eine Infrastruktur, die in die Anfangsperiode der Entwicklung einzu­ordnen Ist. Etwa 40 %  der Siedlungen weisen eine schwach entwickelte Infrastruktur auf, wozu eine mittelmäßige Ausstattung m it öffentlichen Einrichtungen gehört. Bloß 17 % der Dorfs iedl ungen haben eine mittelmäßige bzw. entw ickelte Infrastruktur, 10 dynamisch entw icke lte Siedlungen (weniger als 3 %) haben eine vorstadtmäßige Infra­struktur.Die Forschung hat die besondere Bedeutung des Verkehrsnetzes für die Entwicklung der Infrastruktur der Dorfsiedlungen bewiesen.Mit H ilfe von Kartenserien und mathematischen Methoden sind jene Gebiete leicht zu bestimmen in denen Siedlungen mit schwach entw ickelter und rückständiger Infrastruk­tur dicht gehäuft sind. Diese Regionen sind das Gebirge Cserehát, das Karst-Gebiet im Norden, das Zempléni-Gebirge, Hegyköz, Bodrogköz, das Bükk-Gebirge und Borsodi-Mezöség. Die methodische Bedeutung der A rbe it besteht darin, daß die Aussagefähigkeit der rotierten Faktoren bestimmt wird, ferner daß angegeben w ird, welche Faktoren eine führende Rolle in der Entwicklung der Infrastruktur haben (z.B. F-j = Entwicklungsgrad der Grundelemente der Dienstleistungen, \ 2 " Dynamik und Austattung des Wohnungsbaus, F 3= Verkehrslage, F4 - ungüngstlge Wohnungs- und Kommunal faktorén).Der Versuch im Modell gebiet im Kom itat Borsod-Abauj- Zemplén hat erwiesen, daß die Faktoren- und Ciusteranalyse nach gewissen Änderungen in der Datenbank auch für die Erstellung einer Typologie der Infrastrukturausstattung für ganz Ungarn und für andere Komitate anwendbar ist.* * *INTRODUCTIONDuring the past 40 years of socialist development, the goals of national economy have changed considerably and Hungary was transformed into an industrial-agrarian state. These pro­found changes resulted in a significant increase in the living standards of the population on the whole. Now, society and social politics are facing the task of dealing with dispro­portions in regional development as well as in the living standards of urban and rural populations.198At present, regional policy pays particular attention to the development of the infrastructure and settlement network. If social infrastructure and communication networks of rural settlements do not develop properly, undesirable phenomena are likely to arise, leading to an out-migration of population from rural areas, to ’demographic deformation" of rural settle­ments, lacks in the agricultural labour force and the formation of problem regions.The facts mentioned above are of great importance, therefore they are to be considered interesting topics for geographical research.Our studies focussed on the different regional levels of social infrastructure in rural settlements of Borsod County which has been chosen as a model region for the reasons given below.2. THE MAIN AIMS OF THE STUDYA typology of rural settlements of Hungary was elaborated by the author of this paper and P. Beluszky between 1979 and 1981 (BELUSZKY, P. and SÍKOS, T.T. 1982a, 1982b, 1983). It could be shown that almost all types or rural settlements of the whole country can be found in Borsod County. As social infra­structure is a basic element of rural settlement development, this typology could be elaborated for this area. Within the the framework of the topic chosen the following problems were studied:1. A typology of rural settlements of Borsod County was elabo­rated, based on a methodological concept differing from earlier ones in the calculation of indices and mathematical and statis­tical methods applied (BELUSZKY, P. and SÍKOS, T.T. 1979).2. A typology of the social infrastructure of rural settlements resulted from factor- and cluster analyses.3. A data base was compiled providing information on the social infrastructure of rural settlements of Borsod County from dif­ferent points of view.4. Functional relationships between the population of rural settlements and indices of the development levels of the social infrastructure were determined.5. Using factor analyses, factors were extracted and their con­tributions to the development of social infrastructure in rural settlements of Borsod County, were examined (SÍKOS, T.T. 1986).All the calculations were run on a computer of the type IBM 3031 at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on the basis of the authoi's's research program.A great number studies were published by Hungarian scholars recently, investigating primarily public administration and economic problems as well as the stratification and migration of population in rural settlements. In these studies, attention199was focussed on the differentiation in xegional development levels and the typology of rural settlements in Hungary. A complex economic and economic-geographical research into the typology of social infrastructure of rural settlements was, however, not carried out yet. Moreover, the application of methods of factor and cluster analyses in the typology of social infrastructure and rural settlements can be regarded as a new concept.The statistical data base for 1980 and data collected by the Council of Borsod County were valuable sources for the investigations. Research has been carried out first of all by the application of mathematical methods, it involved, however, comparative methods of economic geography and cartography, too.The type of social infrastructure was determined for 352 rural settlements of Borsod County by making use of cluster analysis. 13 clusters with a maximum homogenity involving 9 subtypes and 5 main types (Fig. 1) were found. They are present­ed below.3. MAIN TYPES"1" - represents social infrastructure in an initial stageof development, containing 3 clusters (11, 6, 12). It comprises40 percent of rural settlements of Borsod County. Most of them are situated in the Northern Borsod Karst, the Highlands of the Cserehát and Zemplén, in regions of the county lying far away from transport routes. The values for the indices of social infrastructure are much lower than the county mean in this initial stage of development.”2" - denotes little developed social infrastructure and com­munication networks of medium level. It includes clusters 10, 13, and 7 which constitute 2 subtypes.This type of social infrastructure is characteristic of almost 40 percent of the rural settlements in Borsod County. The majority of them are large villages and more developed settlements. In general the second main type shows high value for the indices of transport facilities and values for the indices of public utilities and basic services as high as those of the county means. There are significant difference between these two subtypes in the development level of the basic ele­ments of the services. The complex index of basic services (index 3) amounts to 10 points for cluster 10 while these values are 18 and 20 points resp. in clusters 13 and 17 which means that it exceeds the county mean value considerably."3" - denotes averagely developed social infrastructure andcomprises clusters 8 and 9. with 14 percent of the rural settle­ments of Borsod County. These dispersed settlements are situated in the highlands, in the industr ialized val ley of t he Sajó river and in the Miskolc agglomeration. Subtypes 8 and 9 of this main type differ in the development level of the transport200Fig. 1 Types of social infrastructure in rural settlements of Borsod- Abauj-Zemplén County in 1980; clusters 1-13network and tourist services as well as in the level of basic services."4" - shows advanced stage of social infrastructure development and includes 11 rural settlements in Borsod County arranged in a mosaic-iike pattern in the territory of the county. The value for the complex index of basic service amounts to 25.5 points which is twice as much as the county mean. Former small towns, such as Abaújszántó, Gönc, Tállya and Tarcal, belong to these rural settlements. The indices of the rate of housing, quality of flats and public utilities are higher than the county mean. The accessibility of the nearest towns and villages (county seats) is quite good, though the frequency of services of mass transport is lower than the mean in the county. Generally speaking the social infrastructure of this main type provides favourable living conditions for the rural population."5” - For this main type, social infrastructure corresponds to that of small towns (clusters 2 and 3). 10 rural settlements of the county belong to it. It involves 4 district seats (Edelény, Szerencs, Mezöcsát and Encs) as well as 3 former district seats201(Szikszó, Putnok and Sajószentpéter). Industrial enterprises located in these settlements have a dynamically developing service network. Urban features dominate in the way of life of these settlements. The communication network is well develop­ed. Practically all these settlements are situated along trans­port routes or not far from then. The social infrastructure of these small towns provides good living conditions for the rural populations which increased 1.5 times during the last 30 years.In conclusion it is worth mentioning that the indices of the development of social infrastructure frequently exceed the national means. On the other hand research is aware of the fact that in more than 40 percent of the rural settlements of the county social infrastructure is just in an initial stage of development. Moreover, another 40 percent of rural settle­ments of the county have a badly developed social infrastructure and a public utility network of medium-level only. In only 17 percent of the rural settlements of the county social infra­structure is developed averagely or even in an advanced stage of development, and there are merely 10 dynamically developing rural settlements (less than 3 percent) which can be attributed a social infrastructure of a small towns' type.The significant role of the transport network in the develop­ment of the social infrastructure of rural settlements has been stressed by research findings.The analysis of map series - reflecting the regional distri­bution of the indices of the development of social infrastructure - provides a possibility for delimiting regions in which rural settlements having poorly developed or underdeveloped services are accumulated. These settlements are situated mainly in the Cserehát, Northern Borsod Karst, the Highlands of Zemplén and Bükk, Hegyköz, Bodrogköz and Borsodi Mezöség (Fig. 2).Methodologically, this study is significant mostly for inter­preting the information provided by related factors and those facts that can have impacts on the development of social infra­structure. If the data bank for the investigations carried out in Borsod County as a model region is somewhat extended, factor and cluster analyses can be used to elaborate a typology of social infrastructure for either Hungary or other countries.4. THE MOST IMPORTANT RESULTSTypes and subtypes as to social infrastructure of rural sett­lements were determinded.Rural settlements and regions having a poorly developed social infrastructure were delimited.A data bank covering as many as 200,000 data referring to basic information was compiled and can be applied in other planning tasks.A map series has been prepared, illustrating the development of the basic elements of social infrastructure in rural settlements.202Fig. 2 Geographical units of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, HungaryAPPENDIXINDICES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF TYPES OF SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN BORSOD-ABAÚJ-ZEMPLÉN-COUNTYNumerical indices used in the analyses (mean and standard devia­tion in brackets):A. Basic institutions in rural settlements1. Size of retail shops in 1979, m2 (364 m2; 631 m2);2. Per capita value of consumer goods' turnover in retail trade in 1979 (3001,- Ft; 4584,- Ft);3. Network of basic services in 1980 (12.1 points; 8.0 points)4. Number of workers in small scale industry in 1979 (11.3 persons, 15.9 persons);5. Places in nurseries per 100 children of 0-3 years in 1980 (1.3 places, 5.9 places);6. Places in kindergartens per 100 children of 3-6 years in 1980 (33.5 places, 44.0 places);7. Number of consulting hours in 1979 (0.9 hrs.; 3.9 hrs.);203B. Characteristics of flats and basic services in rural sett­lements8. Proportion of flats built after in 1980 (52.5 percent;15.9 percent);9. Proportion of flats built between 1970 and 1979 in 1980 (13.9 percent, 8.5 percent);10. Proportion of one-room flats in 1980 (26.5 percent; 10.2 percent);11. Proportion of residential buildings having more than one storey in 1980 (0.3 percent; 1.7 percent);12. Number of flats with bathrooms or lavatories per 100 flats in 1980 (26.4 percent, 15.3 percent);C. Provision of rural communities with public utilities13. Proportion of flats supplied with electricity in 1980 (96.9 percent; 2.9 percent);14. Proportion of flats with water mains in 1980 (21.7 per­cent, 14.9 percent);15. Proportion of flats with gas mains in 1980 (53.3 percent, 14.8 percent);16. Proportion of flats connected to a sewage system in 1980 (23.9 percent, 15.4 percent);17. Per capita electricity consumption in 1980 (kwh) (805.8 kwh; 281.2 kwh);D. Transport network characteristics of rural communities18. Transport network in 1980 (4.5 points, 2.6 points);19. Accessibility (in minutes) of nearest town or village (district seat) by most rapid means of transport in 1980 (40.3 min.; 27.4 min.);20. Frequency of transport to towns in 1980 (81.2/week, 89.2/ week);E Educational and cultural characteristics of rural communities21. Number of school rooms in elementary schools in 1979 (4.8 school rooms; 6.1 school rooms);22. Number of pupils in elementary schools in 1979 (153 pupils 228 pupils);23. Number of students in secondary schools in 1979 (13 stu­dents, 147 students);24. Proportion of those 15 years or older finishing 8 years of elementary school in 1980 (52.0 percent, 8.9 percent);25. Proportion of those 18 years or older having finished secondary school in 1980 (9.6 percent; 4.3 percent);26. Number of volumes per libraries in 1979 (3968.4 volumes; 6784.2 volumes).204REFERENCESBELUSZKY, P. and SÍKOS, T.T. 1979. Application of factor and cluster analyses in regional studies (in case of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County). Szigma, 12: 191-210.BELUSZKY, P. and SÍKOS, T.T. 1982a. Types of rural settlements in Hungary Budapest, Geographical Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 167 p.BELUSZKY, P. and SÍKOS, T.T. 1982b. Processus de transformation 1'habi­tat dans les regions rurales de la Hongrie. L'Espace Geographique, 1982, 2: 124-133.BELUSZKY, P. and SIKOS, T.T. 1983. Typology of Rural Settlements in Hungary. Budapest, Geographical Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 34 p.SIKOS, T.T. 1986. Sotsialnaya infrastruktúra medye Borsod-Abaúj-Zemp­lén (Social infrastructure of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county). Pécs, Tsentr po izucheniyu regionalnogo razvitiya VAN. 175 p.205

Mathematical and geographical investigations of social infrastructure in rural settlements of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county

http://real.mtak.hu/92691/13/197_MTA_StudGeoHun_22_000823721.pdf

Mathematical and geographical investigations of social infrastructure in rural settlements of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Repository of the Academy's Library