The Socio-Demographic Situation of Chosen Cities in Śląskie Province in the Years 2002 and 2009

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to determine the similarities that exist among cities in the province of Śląskie with more than 100,000 inhabitants in the interval of a few years. The cities considered were Bielsko-Biała, Bytom, Chorzów, Częstochowa, Dąbrowa  Górnicza, Gliwice, Katowice, Ruda Śląska, Rybnik, Sosnowiec, Tychy and Zabrze, all of which are located within close geographical proximity to one another. The similarity of the cities was analysed according to chosen socio-economic indicators and demographic coefficients in the years 2002 and 2009. J. Czekanowski method was applied; to determine which groups of cities were better or worse off with regard to the given profile of the investigation, the average values of the indicators for the entire set of the cities, and for its established groups were compared. The research was conducted in the following profiles: I - socio-demographic situation, II - population health and its determinants, III - affluence, IV - educational and cultural level. The cities that were the most similar to each other, and in the best socio-economic and demographic situation were, for both years, and in spite of the relatively big geographic distance, Bielsko-Biała and Częstochowa. Bielsko-Biała stood alone among the cities for its affluence. Sosnowiec, Zabrze and Gliwice - all cities in the former Upper-Silesian Industrial District - were similar to each other insofar as they were in the worst situation.