In reference to some problems of the development of rural areas in Poland, results have been presented of the economic-spatial analysis related to selected social, economic and ecological factors and their spatial differentiation in the national, regional and local aspect. In the presented problem maps, GIS technique has been applied with the use of computer Local Database (BDL) of the Main Statistical Office (GUS). Determinants of the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas have been discussed. Spatial differentiation has been characterized according to communes and socio-economic determinants, which included: population density, population associated with agriculture and directly with the farm, people who make a living of agriculture, education degree, population in the working age, the level of economic development. Some ecological-economic determinants have been characterized as well: areas of nature and landscape protection, watersheds, that require a special protection, areas of a large scale environmental hazard and the spatial differentiation of water and sewage management.