Ladislav NOVOTNÝ, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geography, Slovakia
Marián KULLA, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geography, Slovakia
Janetta NESTOROVÁ DICKÁ, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geography, Slovakia
Loránt PREGI, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geography, Slovakia
Stela CSACHOVÁ, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geography, Slovakia
Presented research deals with the relationships between population size, location, amenities, patterns of historical and economic development of small towns, and their image in the perception of the population. The study region is the historical region of Spiš in north-eastern Slovakia where a relatively dense network of small towns has formed.
Once one of the richest regions in medieval Hungary with many mining, craft or trading towns, the Spiš region has been struggling with transformation of the economy mainly since the post-socialist period. During and after World War II, several towns lost a substantial portion of their original population. The German, Jewish or Italian populations were usually replaced by new residents, which contributed to the disruption of social and economic continuity. Several small towns even lost their administrative function, others gained it. Some municipalities have never been granted a status of town, but they do meet the population criterion (5,000). The research is based on the analysis of statistical data on population, economy, public services, and the results of extensive field survey on population perception conducted in 25 small towns ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 inhabitants and, in some justified cases, even smaller.
The results confirm the larger population does not necessarily mean better amenities. In larger small towns that recorded economic decline the perception is worse than present equipment with amenities. In contrast, inhabitants of smaller towns tend to perceive local equipment with amenities better, and appreciate their municipality as a good place to live. Peripheral small towns prove to be important sub-regional centres with above average amenities. In contrast, small towns near larger ones have weaker amenities but good perception, as their needs are saturated by the nearby larger towns. In contrast, peripheral small towns prove to be important sub-regional centres with above-average amenities
Keywords: perception|amenities|population|small towns|Slovakia
A105139LN