The aim of the research was to analyse the urbanized landscape change in Vilnius district. The study covers the period between the years 2009 and 2014. The study used to perform statistical, literary and comparative analysis, inventory, data systematization, graphic modelling and logical abstract methods. The results showed that during the analysed period the urbanized areas of agricultural land increased the most, these areas have increased by 593.26 hectares (30 percent of the total built-up area).

A research was carried out in 2015-2016 in the Rostov region with the help of "VEGA-Science" satellite. The intensity of irrigated land in one of the farms in the region was estimated. Field experiments were carried out in accordance with the procedures adopted by GOST 17.4.3.01-83, GOST 28168-89, OST 56 81-84. To delineate the boundaries of fields and add them into the database, high-resolution data were used: the scene of 2015-09-28. 14 thematic maps to estimate the degree of degradation (from 0 to 3 points) were made up for the entire study area.

One of the cornerstones of sustainable use of land resources is the use of land resources for the identified needs. In every country it is needed to list the land according to the type of land use. Such function of land classification in Latvia is maintained by the classification of purpose of real property use. In a certain period of time needs of the specific purposes for which the land resources are used are changing, so the aim of this study is to research changes of areas of purpose of real property use in municipalities of Latvia.

Aim of the paper is to explore the possibilities of application of orthophoto maps in determination of land degradation. One of the forms of remote sensing is aerial photography. Orthophoto maps are made from aerial photography with specialized software orthophoto maps were analysed in perspective for several years – from 2005 to 2011.The results are based on the expert. With each year possibilities of application of orthophoto maps are expanding. During the research, data of survey and SWOT analysis of determination of land degradation by orthophoto maps.

This paper discusses contradiction between theoretical preferences for using land as an object of taxation and modest revenues collected through property taxes imposed on agricultural and forest land. The paper starts with a summary of specificities of the land as an object of the property tax; then, classical economists’ preferences for the wide use of the land tax are confronted with the comparative research finding numerous examples of exemptions and favorable treatment enjoyed by agricultural and forest land.

The problems of agricultural land (AL) market state regulation have been analyzed, including the shortcomings of the new law concerning withdrawal of land plots from lands of agricultural purpose in case of non-use of them for the intended purpose. The law considers land as the land of natural and legal persons, but not concern land shares, which occupy in the structure of vacant land of about 50%. This gap needs to be bridged. A more careful approach is needed for the identification and definition of cadastral cost of land.

In the article is analysed the role of GIS technologies, their connection to the land geographical space, components and tasks of GIS, their role in observation of the state control over land use and protection of agricultural land, as well as ways to improve the system of state control through the introduction of GIS technologies.

The purpose of this research is to analyse the situation of policy documents and basic laws (constitutions), related to the rational use of rural land and fertile soil as an important natural resource. The analysis has shown affinity of common laws of different countries in relation to the preservation and improvement of agricultural land and to the provision of necessary infrastructure conducive to the development of agriculture. Based on the analysis of legal framework, the main directions and principles of land management and land use planning in agricultural areas were concluded.

The article analyses the changes of agricultural production development and the demand of rural planning in the post-reform period. The main aim of the research is to identify the problems of land use and the formation of farms as the territorial-production structures in Lithuania as well as to analyse the possibilities of finding solutions to them. Tendencies of the decrease of the number of rural residents and farms were determined, the regulation of which is possible by improving working and living conditions in rural areas by means of public support measures.

Large-scale agricultural land investments in Africa are often considered solely from the land perspective. Yet land, water and other natural resources are closely interlinked in agricultural production and in sustaining rural livelihoods. Such investments involving irrigation will potentially have implications for water availability and utilization by other users, making it imperative to regard water as an economic rather than a free good.

The agricultural census of 2015 indicated that the total area of abandoned farming land reached to 424,090 ha which accounts for nearly 10% of total farming land in Japan. However, little is known about economic, social, and geographical characteristics that lead farmers to leave their farming lands idle. Tobit and quantile regression analysis are used to identify the underlying factors and the promising countermeasures using community level data in the Tohoku region of Japan.

The land consolidation project of the parts of Vilkaviškis district municipality, Pilviškiai and Klausučiai elderates, Alksnėnai and Sūdava cadastral area is analysed in the article, the main indicators of the project, the meaning of land consolidation, the need to improve the order of the execution and implementation of these activities are described in the article. The survey was carried out to examine the opinion of the participants of the project regarding the advantages of the proceeding and results of the project as well as some of its drawbacks.