Changes in the services of general interest in mountainous areas in Poland over the period 1988–2020: Their types, dynamics and driving forces

Abstract Changes in the services of general interest (SGI) of peripheral locations in the depopulating mountainous areas in Poland, in the context of their socio-economic transformation over the period 1988–2020, are discussed in this contribution. A total of 13 SGI of different importance, scope and purpose, both social and economic, were analysed in the study (e.g. basic health centres, libraries, pharmacies, post offices, primary schools). The institutions were categorised according to the target groups of beneficiaries: residents and tourists. The research was mainly based on the analysis of statistical data using basic statistical methods. This research revealed that the SGI has been declining in quantitative terms, particularly in rural areas, and the service facilities have become concentrated mainly in towns and in some villages with tourist infrastructure. In general, access to SGI in rural areas has become more difficult with exceptions for settlements with developed tourist functions. The number of and access to SGI is largely related to the number of inhabitants of a given settlement, its location, and the development of the tourist functions there.