Kandyba U. Development of social geographic thought in Kharkiv region.

The development of social geographic thought in Kharkiv region is considered in the thesis, a his-tory of its forming is fully investigated. The essence of social geographic activities as a system is discov-ered, its structure and special features are defined. The content of "social geographic thought" concept is specified, scientific approach to its research is grounded. The conditions and factors of social geography development are revealed, their influence on it in Kharkiv region is shown. On the basis of institutional criteria, paradigm change and social geography schools forming, seven stages of social geography devel-opment in Kharkiv region are marked out and described. The next social geography schools, developed on different stages, are analyzed: statistical, ethnogeographical, historical and geographical, branch-wise statistic, anthropogeographical, regional, international economic relations, social and geographical; also the schools having prospects are specified. A scientometric analysis ofsocial geographic activities in Kharkiv region was made, that enabled the revelation of its features and tendencies in its development.