Scope of application of statistical methods of data classification in analysing the intensity of suburbanization

Abstract

Suburbanization, as a component of the process o f metropolisation, and on the other hand one of the stages of city life-cycle, is now observed in almost all main city agglomerations in our country, being the most important problem connected w ith their development. The useful tools of investigation of intensity of suburbanization in suburban zones, or wider - in metropolitan areas, can be the statistical methods of data classification, such as data clustering. These methods allow grouping the territorial units of given area (e.g. poviats, gminas, statistical locations) in relatively homogeneous classes as regards the intensity of suburbanization. The basis of such grouping is similarity between investigated objects (e.g. gminas) as regards the level of variables accepted for coefficients of intensity of suburbanization.