FORMATION AND TRENDS OF HUNGARIAN CATCHMENT AREA EXAMINATIONS –OVERVIEW ON THE LITERATURE FOCUSING ON EDUCATION GEOGRAPHY

Abstract

From the first half of the 18th century in the geographic research, the relationship between urban-rural areas and the determination of the catchment area of settlements (such as education, health, labor market and administrative functions) are examined topics. These studies try to explain the functional relationship between settlements, by the help of scientific methods.

Catchment area examinations have become increasingly widespread during the quantitative revolution and its repeated golden age started with the appearance of GIS. The purpose of this study is to provide a brief overview about methods of the national and international (educational) catchment area impoundment.

Hungarian catchment area examines are following foreign trends, but late in time and they only quantify the strength of attraction or gravity and doesn’t make further analysis.

Nowadays the role of qualitative factors is become more important, so in the Hungarian catchment area examines should reveal the real motivations, factors and circumstances.