Region metropolitalny Silesia w świetle koncepcji funkcjonalnych

Abstract

Metropolitan areas are currently the most developed places in the world economy. Therefore, their identification is one of the most important problems in the study of cities. Paper presents the problem of metropolitan regions in functional and statistical aspects. The first part of the article describes theoretical and statistical aspects of metropolitan regions in the United States and countries of the European Union. The second part shows the Silesia Metropolitan Region in Southern Poland. It contains 86 municipalities, linked by large commuting to work and a labour market. Eight of the largest cities are considered as its main core where international linkages occures. Whole region is divided into four smaller functional urban regions: Katowice, Gliwice, Tychy and Bytom.