DIVERSITY OF RURAL LESS-FAVOURED AREAS IN PODLASIE PROVINCE, POLAND

Sa？etak In this study we present multivariable characterization of 105 communes in Podlasie province; almost all of these communes have status of LFA (less-favoured areas). The eleven variables which are indicators of enironmental and socio-economic conditions were used for evaluation of regional differentiation. Statistical methods i.e. principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward’s method) afford us to identify most important variables and to clasify communes into 5 distinct clusters. Among the studied variables these showing farmer skills, land use, farm production intensity, activities of rural local populations were the major descriptors for adequate quantitative characterizing and discriminating the communes in Podlasie province. Quality of agro-ecological environment was not an important factor discriminating the rural LFAs