<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Shaping the administrative division of the country is influenced by various factors. Based on the analysis of 22 municipal divorces in Poland between 1995 and 2019 the article attempts to identify the determinant factors of these splits. The article examines environmental (economic or cultural) and political factors which may stimulate the fragmentation initiatives. The results indicate that in Poland cultural factors appear to be at least as important as economic ones. An argument of great significance in the process of a new municipality creation (both in the case of successful and unsuccessful splits) was the memory of the inhabitants about the time when they were operating as a separate municipality. In case of rural municipalities the existence of a second almost equally important population centre in the municipality was an important factor contributing to the municipal splits.</p>
</abstract>

Shaping the administrative division of the country is influenced by various factors. Based on the analysis of 22 municipal divorces in Poland between 1995 and 2019 the article attempts to identify the determinant factors of these splits. The article examines environmental (economic or cultural) and political factors which may stimulate the fragmentation initiatives. The results indicate that in Poland cultural factors appear to be at least as important as economic ones. An argument of great significance in the process of a new municipality creation (both in the case of successful and unsuccessful splits) was the memory of the inhabitants about the time when they were operating as a separate municipality. In case of rural municipalities the existence of a second almost equally important population centre in the municipality was an important factor contributing to the municipal splits.

<bold>Striving for a restitution</bold> of the former splendor? Reasons for municipal splits in Poland

Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies

Miscellanea Geographica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

 of the former splendor? Reasons for municipal splits in Poland

Shaping the administrative division of the country is influenced by various factors. Based on the analysis of 22 municipal divorces in Poland between 1995 and...

Striving for a restitution of the former splendor? Reasons for municipal splits in Poland

Published Online: Jan 29, 2021

Page range: 71 - 81

Received: May 19, 2020

Accepted: Dec 10, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0047

Keywords
Territorial reforms, local government, fragmentation, territorial division, Poland

© 2021 Julita Łukomska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Striving for a restitution of the former splendor? Reasons for municipal splits in Poland

Published Online: Jan 29, 2021

Page range: 71 - 81

Received: May 19, 2020

Accepted: Dec 10, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0047

KeywordsTerritorial reforms, local government, fragmentation, territorial division, Poland

© 2021 Julita Łukomska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Territorial reforms, local government, fragmentation, territorial division, Poland