| Abstract [eng] |
Although Lithuania can be attributed to the urbanized states as more than two thirds of its population is concentrated in urban areas, rural areas continue to be very important for the whole state economy. Rural areas, where even in the past century socio-cultural and socio-economic situation was quite complicated and full of sharp contradictions, over the past two decades have been experiencing particularly far-reaching changes. The end of forced collectivization opened the way for private initiative in economic activity of rural residents. However, restoration of private land ownership was only the main precondition for developing of new economic activities. There were no possibilities for new investment, which was impossible for the rural people to make. Lithuania experienced fifty years of occupation. People who had regained their parents’ or grandparents’ farms were unable to initiate effective economic activity. They did not have farm buildings, equipment and funds for contemporary agricultural activities. A large part of the new land owners at that time lived in other places and were unable to come back. Many of them did not have any farming experience. Over the past two decades, the rural population structure changed significantly. Recent statistics show that agriculture now employs only 8-9% of the working people. 40-45% of current residents of rural areas are commuting daily to work in towns. Approximately one third of people living in areas with low urbanization level are the pensioners and disabled. One tenth of the rural population is pre-school and school-age children. The number of young families in villages decreased significantly. Therefore, in recent years, Lithuania had to close many rural schools, kindergartens, health care facilities, libraries and so on. A lot of former office and farm buildings became empty and unused. Among them are workshops, warehouses, garages and so on. [...]. |
