Impact of the Ignalina NPP and Visaginas city on the development of the state and regional settlement system

Appearance of Visaginas - a new large element has undoubtedly affected the Lithuanian settlement system established in the course of ages. The scale and character of the changes are the main issues discussed in the present article. The impact of Visaginas on the rural and urban settlements was analyzed separately, distinguishing also between the cities and rural settlements of the region and city system of the country. The municipal districts of Ignalina and Zarasai stand out among other Lithuanian districts for especially small and densely spaced villages. The overage village population is 2 3.6. The density of villages - 4 3.2 villages (100 km2 (these indices for Lithuania are by 2.6 and 1.5 times higher). Three hundred villages have been depopulated. Yet, the direct impact of Ignalina NPP and Visaginas city on the changes of village system has not been determined except in the territories which found themselves in the immediate proximity to the NPP building site and I protective zone. The data about direct impacts of Visaginas on other cities of the region are lacking. Yet, the data about external and internal migration suggest that the appearance, development and even mere existence of Visaginas have affected the changes of the number and structure of urban population and social-economic situation in the region. The influence of Visaginas on the development of the Lithuanian city system in rather ambiguous. On the one hand it is a rather large city of exceptional economic importance. Its appearance and development have slightly changed the general view of city system. Yet, due to the young age, excentric situation and other factors the impact of Visaginas is more pronounced only in the NE periphery of the country. It, first of all, affected the development of the Utena city.[...]Geologijos ir geografijos institutasSocialinių tyrimų instituta