DETUROPE - The Central European Journal of Regional Development and Tourism 2023, 15(2):48-65 | DOI: 10.32725/det.2023.012

Urban development in Serbia – The economic positions and development processes of major cities.

Szilárd Rácz
CERS Institute for Regional Studies, Papnövelde u. 22., 7621 Pécs, Hungary.

The aim of the paper is to review the development of the five largest cities of Serbia in the post-Yugoslav period. In the introduction, the general development of the urban network and spatial structure of the Balkans will be presented in a historical context, as well as the geographical location and geopolitical situation of Serbia. Over the last three decades, the state structure of Serbia has undergone several fundamental transformations, which have had a significant impact on the development of these cities. This is analysed in terms of the transformation of administrative and spatial characteristics. Finally, the development, economic and demographic processes of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac and Subotica are examined in detail.

Keywords: urban development, economic transformation, Western Balkans, Serbia, Belgrade, cities

Published: December 31, 2023  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Rácz, S. (2023). Urban development in Serbia – The economic positions and development processes of major cities. DETUROPE - The Central European Journal of Regional Development and Tourism, 15(2), 48-65. doi: 10.32725/det.2023.012
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Arandarenko, M., Aleksić, D., & Lončar, D. (2021). Expansion of direct investment and resilience of Serbian labour market: A regional and sectoral perspective. Ekonomika preduzeća, 3-4. 203-216. https://doi.org/10.5937/ekopre2103203a Go to original source...
    2. Bakó, T., & Rácz, S. (2020). Key guidelines for the development and functioning of cities and municipalities in Serbia. In Gál, Z., Kovács, S. Z., & Páger, B. (Eds.), Flows of Resources in the Regional Economy in the Age of Digitalisation: Proceedings of the 7th CERS Conference (pp.193-203). Pécs: HRSA.
    3. Bakó, T. (2021). From Yugoslavia to Present Serbia - Relations of Regional and Economic Policy and Public Administration. Theses of Doctoral Dissertation. Győr: Széchenyi István University Doctoral School of Regional- and Business Administration Sciences.
    4. Graovac, A., & Djokic, J. (2008). Implosive sprawl - Belgrade case study. Dalian: 44th ISoCaRP Congress.
    5. Hajdú, Z., Illés, I., & Raffay, Z. (Eds.) (2007). Southeast-Europe: State Borders, Cross-Border Relations, Spatial Structures. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
    6. Hajdú, Z., Horeczki, R., & Rácz, S. (2018). Changing settlement networks in Central and Eastern Europe with special regard to urban networks. In Lux, G., & Horváth, Gy. (Eds.), The Routledge handbook to regional development in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 123-140). Abingdon-New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315586137 Go to original source...
    7. Hajdú, Z., & Rácz, S. (2011). Urbanisation, state formation processes and new capital cities in the Western Balkans. AUPO Geographica, 2. 63-77.
    8. Hirt, S. (2009). City Profile: Belgrade, Serbia. Cities, 5. 293-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2009.04.001 Go to original source...
    9. Lőrinczné Bencze, E. (2018). The EU and Regional Cooperation in Southeast Europe. Central European Political Science Review, 71. 27-54.
    10. Lukic, T., Stojsavljevic, R., Durdev, B., Nagy, I., & Dercan, B. (2012). Depopulation in the Western Balkan countries. European Journal of Geography, 2. 6-23.
    11. Lukić, V. (2013). Population Trends in Serbia and the Implications for Settlement System. Forum Geografic, 1. 67-74. https://doi.org/10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2013.070.i Go to original source...
    12. Miljanović D., Vuksanović-Macura, Z., & Doljak, D. (2023). Rethinking the spatial transformation of postsocialist cities: Shrinking, sprawling or densifying. Cities, 140. 104443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104443 Go to original source...
    13. Nagy, I., & Ricz, A. (2017). The Willingness and Preparedness of Local Governments in Ap Vojvodina/Serbia to Grip and Use Development Funds of the European Union. Deturope, 2. 118-128. https://doi.org/10.32725/det.2017.016 Go to original source...
    14. ÖIR (2006). Metropolitan Networking in CenSE backed by North-South Rail Corridors. Final Report of the Pilot Projects. Wien: Österreichisches Institut für Raumplanung.
    15. Rácz, Sz. (2011). Déli szomszédsági városhálózatok és hatások [Urban networks in the southern neighbourhood and their impacts]. In: Cieger, A. (Ed.), Terek, tervek, történetek. Az identitás történetének térbeli keretei 2. (pp. 211-237). Budapest: Atelier.
    16. Rácz, Sz. (2014). New Integration Period? Changing Tendencies of the Urban Network in South East Europe. Deturope, 6(2). 46-63. https://doi.org/10.32725/det.2014.011 Go to original source...
    17. Ramet, S. P. (2006). The three Yugoslavias: State-building and legitimation, 1918-2005. Washington DC: Woodrow Wilson Center Press.
    18. RAPP (2010). Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia 2010-2014-2020. Abridged version. Belgrade: Republic of Serbia Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning Republic Agency for Spatial Planning.
    19. Reményi, P. (2011). Borders, Settlement Structure and Regional Issues in the Western Balkans. In Kobolka, I., & Pap, N. (Eds.), The Western Balkans: European perspective and tradition (155-230). Budapest: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
    20. Ricz, A. (2018). A határon átívelő programok hatásai a Vajdaság területi fejlődésére. Tér és Társadalom, 1. 161-179. https://doi.org/10.17649/TET.32.1.2877 Go to original source...
    21. RZS (2023). 2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings. Ethnicity - Data by municipalities and cities. Belgrade: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2023/PdfE/G20234001.pdf
    22. SBRA (2022). Извештај о Cто нај... Привредних друштава 2021. Подаци из редовних годишњих финансијских извештаја. Београд: Агенција за Привредне Регистре. https://www.apr.gov.rs/upload/Portals/0/GFI_2022/Publikacije/Sto_naj...privrednih_drustava_u_RS_16_11_2022.pdf
    23. Toąić, B., & Đorđević, J. (2004). The settlements of the Belgrade region. Geographica Pannonica, 8. 43-46. Go to original source...
    24. Uvalić, M., & Bartlett, W. (2021). Regional disparities and regional development policies in Serbia. Belgrade: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
    25. Vuković, D., Jovanović, A., Zakić, N., & Vukotić, S. (2012). Nomenclature of Statistical Territorial Units: Possibilities of Application in Serbia. Journal of Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić" SASA, 2. 11-24. https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1102011V Go to original source...
    26. Zeković, S. (2009). Regional competitiveness and territorial industrial development in Serbia. Spatium, 21. 27-38. https://doi.org/10.2298/SPAT0921027Z Go to original source...
    27. ®ivanović, V., Joksimović, M., Golić, R., Malinić, V., Krstić, F., Sedlak, M., & Kovjanić, A. (2022). Depopulated and Abandoned Areas in Serbia in the 21st Century - From a Local to a National Problem. Sustainability, 14. 10765. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710765 Go to original source...
    28. ®ivanović, V., Pavlović, M., Kovjanić, A., Toąić, D., & Krstić, F. (2021). Concept of polycentricity - the differences between development policies and spatial reality. Journal of the Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić" SASA, 1. 75-90. https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI2101075Z Go to original source...
    29. ®ivanović, Z., Toąić, B., Nikolić, T., & Gatarić, D. (2019). Urban System in Serbia - The Factor in the Planning of Balanced Regional Development. Sustainability, 11. 4168. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154168 Go to original source...
    30. ®ivanović, Z., & Toąić, B. (2017). Defining urban regions in Serbia. Geographica Pannonica, 21. 85-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/GeoPan1702085Z Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content