The aim of this thesis was to prove the occurrence of spatial disparities in the district Liezen. Therefore, three research areas were chosen. These are research area north, the research area east and the research area west. The focus was on social geographic and economic parameters, e.g. population development, population density, population structure, education, work, unemployment, tourism and so on. Evaluating the results of the survey, it became evident that the research areas north and east can be classified as economically underdeveloped. In the research area west, different developments were to bee seen. Due to the massive influence of tourism in this region, the research area west can be classified as the most economically developed area of the district Liezen. The research areas north and east were affected by a severe loss of population in the period of 1961 up to 2015. In the research area west, there was an increase of population from 1961 up to 2001. Since 2001 the research area west has also been affected by a loss of population. Apart from that, by viewing the economic parameters, the research area west has a special position with most places of work and approximately half of the overnight stays of the district Liezen are allotted to this area. Furthermore, the research area west is the only one with a positive index of commuters. Due to these different developments in the district of Liezen the development of the cultural landscape over the past 100 years has been different. As a logical result, the building stock has increased the most in the research area west. Forest areas have made way for ski slopes and ski lifts, whereas in the research area east the areas of forest have increased and there is a minor increase of the building stock than in the research area west. In research area north there are both, a process of intensification and a process of extensification. |