CHANGES IN POPULATION DYNAMICS AND SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS OF SOUTHEASTERN BOYKIVSHCHYNA (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE PEREHINSKA SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of population dynamics and the features of the spatial organization of settlement in the Perehinska territorial community of Ivano-Frankivsk region. The historical and geographical prerequisites for the formation of the settlement network in the community are analyzed, and the most important factors influencing population changes, migration processes, and the spatial differentiation of settlement density are identified. The research employs spatial analysis methods, as well as statistical, cartographic, and historical-geographical approaches. The study reveals territorial heterogeneity in the demographic situation: significant population decline in remote mountain villages, stable growth in the administrative center of the community, and internal migration flows directed toward more developed settlements. The influence of natural and geographical conditions on settlement patterns and overall population density is analyzed. Trends that may shape the community's demographic development in the coming years are identified, including the growing share of the administrative center's population and the risks of depopulation in small villages. The results obtained are advisable to use in the preparation of strategic and spatial planning documents for the Perehinska settlement community, such as the integrated development concept and the comprehensive spatial development plan, as well as for developing measures to improve the demographic situation in the community.