Classifications of the Rural Areas in Bulgaria

Emilia PATARCHANOVA1, Penka KASTREVA1, Galina KULEVA1
1 South-West  University “Neofit Rilskii”, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Blagoevgrad, BULGARIA
E-mail: epatarchanova@abv.bg, penkakastreva@gmail.com, galaven@abv.bg
Pages: 103-108

Abstract. There is a great diversity of classifications of the rural regions and of the corresponding methods in use. This can be taken as an advantage because it allows the most appropriate and suitable classification for the chosen task to be used in the survey. Otherwise the diversity of classifications makes the comparison difficult at international level, as well as at the regional one. In this report there are discussed the approaches, the methods and the corresponding classifications of the rural regions, which can be conditionally divided into two groups. The first group includes those used by the international organizations, yet also used in Bulgaria. The other comprises methods elaborated by the Bulgarian scientists, independent or research groups, which takes into consideration some peculiarities of our conditions. We emphasise on the OECD methodology and its application in the mapping of rural areas in Bulgaria. The new European classification is also examined. The main purposes are discussed and the results from the application of new classification in the European Union are reviewed in depth. It is shown how this new classification is reflected in the mapping of rural areas in Bulgaria in comparison with the existing OECD approach.

K e y w o r d s: classification, approach, method, rural region, mapping