Rural Areas in Public Statistics

Rural areas in Poland are diverse in socio-economic, environmental and spatial terms. Their importance for the functioning of the State has provided not only a dominant function of agricultural production, but also a significant and growing percentage of the rural population in recent years. In order to appropriate programming and monitoring processes of their development, it is necessary to provide accurate statistical information adapted to the changing conditions. The aim of the work conducted in the Statistical Office in Olsztyn is to recognise the needed information related to rural areas’ development and the integration of statistical data characterizing these areas in terms of: their demographic potential, the economic situation of the population, social and technical infrastructure, non-agricultural activity, agriculture and the environment as well as the source of rural areas financing. The usage of TERYT registry identifiers enables the preparation and presentation of socio-economic phenomena in sections with a different level of accuracy according to the typology of Eurostat and the OECD, as well as for rural areas and towns with the population below five thousand. In addition, for a more complete presentation of the rural areas diversity, there are conducted methodological studies, e.g. concerning the typology of gminas as well as a study on identifying possibilities of obtaining new variables, including administrative sources. The data collected are used in publications and to supply existing information systems.