Studying of settler network of the Ternopil area, by realization of typification of settlements
Authors: Salii Mykhailo 
Published: November 2022

A brief general analysis of research and publications of scientists who worked in the field of typification of settlements in various directions was carried out. Approaches to the classification of settlements by population, their functional and genetic features and status in different historical periods are considered.

Most researchers, in particular, attach great importance to the analysis of the historical and geographical aspects of the emergence of settlements, and as a result, the formation of settlement networks. Emphasis is placed on the importance of natural conditions, in particular the relief and density of the river network, which directly had a significant impact on the choice of places for the formation of the settlement network. It is observed that there is a direct connection between the topographic type and the planning structure of settlements.

An analysis of processed and analyzed data was carried out, in particular on the population of the Ternopil region for the period from 2003 to 2022. The settlements of the Ternopil region by population were analyzed and systematized, and the typification of villages, cities and towns by population was carried out, for the region as a whole and for each of the districts separately.

A clearly expressed tendency to reduce the number of the region's population during the period under consideration was noted, and the predominance of the share of rural residents in the overall structure of the region's population was also revealed. It was found that more than 42% of the settlements (the largest group) are settlements with a population of 101 to 500 inhabitants.

Typification of settlements by topographical types is carried out, in the section of the Ternopil Oblast and each of its districts separately. Taking into account the peculiarities of the relief and the presence of a dense network of small rivers, on the banks of which the vast majority of settlements in the Ternopil region are usually located, the main topographic types of settlements were distinguished: watershed, stream-river, and valley-river, which is the most numerous, is divided into subtypes.

Settlements of the Ternopil region are grouped and separated according to the main planning forms, namely: simple linear, complex linear, circular, random-group, quarter and combined. The impact of topographic types on the formation of the planning structure of settlements is analyzed. Settlements were typified according to their planning structure, and the main features and regularities characteristic of different regions of the region were identified.

The most common planning forms of settlements in the region were branched, lying to complex linear forms and linear-multi-row, most of such settlements are located on the banks of rivers with branching streets from lower to upper terraces.

For a more complete understanding of the peculiarities of the formation of the settlement network of the Ternopil region, it is considered appropriate to trace the historical aspects and periods of their occurrence, and the functions assigned to a specific individual settlement from the moment of its foundation. Considering the natural features of the region, the largest share among the settlements of the region is naturally dominated by rural settlements specializing in agriculture, it is also worth highlighting settlements that performed defense, trade and administrative functions, most of which have retained their status as cities to this day.

As a result of the last classification, clear patterns of combination and interweaving of the historical and geographical aspects of the placement of settlements with the natural features of the area and their genetic and functional type were revealed.

Keywords: placing of population, settlement, typification, topographical types of settlements, plan forms of settlements, genetically-functional types of settlements.