Exploring Different Approaches to the Suburb Concept: A Case Study of Vilnius City

The article addresses the issue of territorial classification of urban areas using Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, as an example. In Lithuania, settlements are categorized into two types: urban areas (designated as cities) and rural areas (which include towns, villages, and homesteads). Vilnius is the largest city in Lithuania, with a population of nearly 600,000 residents, while the smallest town, Panemune, has ca. 200 inhabitants. It is evident that the current classification system is flawed and does not optimally represent the territory. The fact that the population difference between the largest and smallest urban settlements exceeds a factor of 3,000, while their administrative status remains identical, highlights a significant inconsistency in the current territorial classification system. Additionally, the definition of suburban areas is not clearly established in Lithuania, leading to varied interpretations and resulting in significantly different outcomes in classification. The aim of this article is to examine several examples of suburbanization and illustrate how these varying definitions can distort population statistics. To achieve data-driven solutions and sustainable development, it is essential to rely on statistics that are aggregated into appropriate territorial units.