Delimitation of a functional area of Olsztyn agglomeration

Cities and urban agglomerations shape the process of economic development in a significant way, both in national and regional scale,. The desire to improve the level and dynamics of economic development of an agglomeration and surrounding areas requires a coordination of actions undertaken by local governments of units forming an agglomeration. This, in turn, raises an important issue of determining the spatial extent of their impact. The aim of the study is to delimitate the boundaries of functional area of Olsztyn agglomeration. Agglomeration area is a highly integrated functional area where various functions are realized like, for example, manufacturing, consumption, administrative or commercial. These functions are realized in different parts of an agglomeration area, so in that respect it is not uniform, but there is always a high degree of integration and an intensity of relationships. Most often used, but not the only one, criterion for the delimitation of functional urban region is the spatial extent of daily commuting. The factors used to delimitate the functional area of Olsztyn agglomeration relate to morphological criteria (that is associated with the degree, intensity of use of space), the functional criterion (reflecting the degree of relationship between the center city and surrounding area) and a criterion of the dynamics of socio-economic processes taking place in the urban area (they refer primarily to the dynamics of migration processes and to the economic development of the surveyed units). One of the characteristic features of urban agglomerations is, in fact, greater intensity and variability of changes taking place in its functioning. The analyzes lead to the conclusion that the functional area of Olsztyn agglomeration consists of 12 municipalities (except the city of Olsztyn) – nine of them belong to the Olsztyn poviat (Barczewo, Dobre Miasto, Dywity, Gietrzwałd, Jeziorany, Jonkowo, Purda, Stawiguda, Świątki), two to the Szczytno poviat (Dźwierzuty, Pasym) and one to the Ostróda poviat (Lukta). The functional area of Olsztyn agglomeration at the end of 2010 consisted of 268 684 people, representing 18.8% of the population of Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodship. The size of the area is, in turn, 2 682 km2, which makes 11.1% of the voivodship. The agglomeration is home to the largest and most important in Warmia and Mazury region employers, government agencies and local governments, colleges and universities. In Olsztyn there are also located important for the whole region cultural and economic institutions as well as health care facilities. The production structure is dominated by the food industry, machinery, furniture and tire production. Tourism is also an important industry, because of its location and the landscape