ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN LATGALE AND UTENA REGIONS
It is widely acknowledged that border regions of the country are often economically "lagging" compared to more developed areas. The level of economic and social development is a key factor in the political, economic and social efficiency of any economic entity. In areas where development is slower, there is a decrease in economic efficiency in the private sector and deterioration in the effectiveness of political governance in the public sector. The research aim is to analyze and compare the development possibilities in Latgale and Utena regions. Main research methods are content analysis, statistical analysis of data. The planning and strategic documents were analyzed in order to study the situation in Latvia and Lithuania at national, regional and local level. Statistical analysis was performed using data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia and the Lithuanian Department of Statistics. An assessment of the extent and trends of territorial inequality could be a useful tool for developing adequate regional development strategies which seek to reduce economic and social imbalances.