URBANIZED AREAS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article analyzes urbanized areas and their development in the cities of Kaunas, Jonava, and Vilkaviškis, as well as in the municipalities of these regions, based on various statistical data such as population changes, changes in built-up areas from 2011 to 2023, and visual changes in built-up areas based on orthophoto maps from 1995 to 2020. It was found that during the period of 2011-2023, the population decreased: in Jonava municipality by 11.05% (5,155), in Vilkaviškis municipality by 19.4% (8,284), in Kaunas city by 4.55% (14,444), in Jonava city by 12.34% (3,799), in cities of Vilkaviškis municipality by 18.18% (3,341), except for Kaunas district municipality, where the population increased by 16.97% (14,578). Meanwhile, the areas of built-up territories increased: in Vilkaviškis city by 136.47% (323.99 ha), in Kaunas district municipality by 43.76% (3,074.98 ha), in Vilkaviškis municipality by 40.72% (1,265.17 ha), in Jonava city by 38.50% (200.61 ha), in Jonava municipality by 14.51% (461.90 ha), but in Kaunas city, the built-up areas decreased by 13.19%, i.e., 1,158.96 ha. During the analysis of the intensity of urban development, it was found that in Kaunas district municipality and Jonava district municipality, built-up areas are expanding intensively in suburbs around the municipal centers, i.e., Kaunas and Jonava cities. Suburbanization processes are taking place in these areas. Meanwhile, the situation in Vilkaviškis municipality is opposite - built-up areas are expanding in the center of the municipal district, namely in Vilkaviškis city, i.e., areas within the city limits are being built up.