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Urban shrinkage in the periphery of a post-communist country: the story of Šiauliai

ABSTRACT Lithuania is a post-communist country that has experienced a rapid population decline. This study examines one of the largest cities in Lithuania, Šiauliai, regarding urban shrinkage in the post-communist context, explicating Šiauliai’s shrinkage based on an adapted heuristic model as proposed by European scholars. It presents a case study and highlights the main drivers of population loss in the city, which include political and economic changes, out-migration, and negative natural change. It also examines the direct and indirect consequences of population decline in the development of the city, including brownfields, unemployment, and an aging population.