Socioeconomic Conditionality of the Baltic Macroregion Landscape Development and Zoning

At the regional level, human activity is of the main factors shaping modern landscape. This study considers the features of contemporary landscape development in the Baltic macroregion. A new method of landscape zoning with the use of a synthetic indicator of socioeconomic conditionality is proposed. This indicator shows the degree of anthropogenic differentiation of landscapes within a territory and consists of five components: average population density; forest coverage and agricultural land use; density of road networks and buildings; share of uncultivated land. Based on the proposed methodology, the degree of socioeconomic conditionality in the development of modern landscapes of the Baltic macroregion is determined. The work's practical significance lies in the proposal of a new method of landscape zoning based on settlement and land use practices, which can improve the results of spatial planning on macroregional level.