TY - GEN N2 - The issue of transformation in the functional structure of rural areas in Poland has been the subject of numerous studies covering both the research concerning entire country as well as selected regions. This article is an attempt to show the functional changes of rural municipalities in northern Poland, which took place in the period between 1988 and 2012. The analysis covered rural municipalities of the Warmińsko-mazurskie, Pomorskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeships. The condition of functional development of rural areas of northern Poland in 1988 was presented basing on the functional and spatial classification applied by W. Stola. In order to analyze the functional and spatial changes in the rural areas of northern Poland in 2012, data from the Central Statistical Office was used. Classification of functional areas on a municipal scale was implemented incorporating a set of diagnostic features classifying a given municipality to one of the 5 functional types referring to the classification of 1988. Results of the analysis prove that spatial and functional structure of rural areas in northern Poland is becoming more differentiated. Rural areas are increasingly evolving into multifunctional areas – in which apart from the agricultural function - non-agricultural activities are developing. However, it is very important that the multifunctional development would contribute to improving living conditions of rural population, at the same time providing protection of natural and cultural landscape. L1 - http://www.rcin.org.pl/igipz/Content/55725/PDF/WA51_76055_r2015-t37_SOW-Gwiazdzinska.pdf M3 - Text J2 - Studia Obszarów Wiejskich, t. 37 PY - 2015 EP - 168 KW - rural areas KW - functional structure KW - North Poland A1 - Gwiaździńska-Goraj, Marta A1 - Goraj, Sebastian A1 - Jezierska-Thöle, Aleksandra PB - IGiPZ PAN PB - PTG VL - 37 CY - Warszawa SP - 157 T1 - Zmiany struktury funkcjonalnej gmin wiejskich w północnej części Polski (analiza porównawcza lat 1988 i 2012) = Changes in the functional structure of rural municipalities in the northern part of Poland in the years 1988 and 2012 UR - http://www.rcin.org.pl/igipz/dlibra/publication/edition/55725 ER -