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This research aimed to explore the land use of the Modrave micro-regon in Littoral Croatia during the 18th and 19th centuries. The principal sources used were the Venetian and Franciscan cadasters which were analyzed using a GIS environment.

This research aimed to explore the land use of the Modrave micro-regon in Littoral Croatia during the 18th and 19th centuries. The principal sources used were the Venetian and Franciscan cadasters which were analyzed using a GIS environment.

The Croatian Islands form an archipelago of approximately 1250 islands, islets, rocks and rocks awash along the eastern Adriatic coastline. Out of that number, only 50 islands are permanently populated. Karst environment and climate conditions predetermined them as areas of traditional Mediterranean agriculture. Islands have been inhabited since prehistory, and scientific research enables the reconstruction of their main land use types. Further, the systematic land survey makes it possible to accurately determine the share of specific land use types from the 19th century. Preliminary results indicate the peak of agriculture activities and land use at the turn of the 20th century due to the demographic increase and conjuncture in wine production. The islands’ population started to decline during the 1920s, which resulted in land abandonment and succession of the natural vegetation. Nowadays, only a small share of land is cultivated, mainly by lucrative plants like olive trees and grapes. As a result, Mediterranean maquis and forests cover most islands’ surfaces, which increases the risk of summer fires and threatens the traditional agricultural landscape. This research aims to determine the main factors that influenced land use changes and landscape development in the last century. Such encompassing approach for all Croatian Islands has not been applied before. Furthermore, the results will be compared to other Mediterranean Islands. The methodology compares land use categories from different periods and sources, such as archival cadastral data, agriculture censuses and contemporary satellite imagery. We will also compare land use intensity depending on the island’s size, population and distance from the mainland. In our opinion, this research would contribute to understanding complex social processes on the islands in certain historical circumstances and their influence on the formation of the different land use patterns.

The Natura 2000 ecological network covers close to 20% of the territory EU territory and represents the largest system of preserved and protected areas worldwide. Natura 2000 sites are composed of areas important for the conservation of endangered species and habitat types (POVS) and areas important for birds (POP). The Rural Spot project of the University of Zadar (IP-UNIZD-2021-01) deals with sustainable tourism in rural areas, and focuses on the physiognomic region of Ravni Kotari in the central part of Littoral Croatia. Ravni Kotari is determined as an area of eight local self-government units (one town and seven municipalities) that are located in the hinterland part of Zadar County. Namely, Natura 2000 covers 34.82% of Zadar County, and Ravni Kotari is registered as POVS and POP Natura 2000 areas under the codes HR2001361 and HR1000024. This status increases the attractiveness of this area, gives a chance for more pronounced use of EU funds, but also imposes the obligation to pre-check the planned activities in terms of their environmental sustainability concerning the conservation objectives of these areas. The review aims to determine the state of the Natura 2000 network in the study area, with the ultimate purpose after research, identifying its potential and challenges for the development of this rural area, and ultimately to define environmental sustainability indicators (eg land use, waste generation, water consumption).

Croatian Islands have been inhabited since prehistoric times. At first, communities cultivated more suitable lands like drained fields. Later on, land use patterns changed, and agricultural production was transferred onto hilly karst slopes because the population increased. To obtain additional land and fence the plots, the communities erected drystone walls whose characteristics were determined by the specifics of the karst terrain (geological features, terrain morphology and availability of stone). Drystone walls were not erected only in the Adriatic region and the Mediterranean but also in other areas due to the availability of stone, the need for terracing, soil conservation, pasture fencing, runoff control, and torrent prevention. By building drystone walls, islanders changed the natural landscape and obtained land for agricultural production (cattle breeding, cereals, olives, grapevines). In addition, man has used drystone walls to mitigate negative natural processes such as erosion, flooding, soil loss, and the like. The research aims are to make an inventory of drystone walls on selected islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. The authors intended to place drystone walls in the context of the geomorphological features of the terrain to find out if there is a pattern of drystone walls’ appearance. Also, the goal was to determine the role of drystone walls in land use over the last 200 years and if the drystone wall network is following the cadastral division of land.The authors used different types of aerial images along with detailed cadastral plans to map drystone walls. All the data were incorporated into a GIS database that enabled the analysis of drystone walls, terrain, and land-use features. The results indicate the existence of different densities of drystone wall mesh concerning terrain characteristics. Also, the analysis of drystone wall orientation may indicate their function in terracing where drystone walls extend perpendicular to the direction of the slope, or the orientation of extension may correspond to the orientation of the slope if the drystone wall is in the function of fencing. Drystone walls have preserved the way of land use in the past and also served to prevent soil loss on the slopes.

Globally, people are living longer than ever before, and the population aged 65 and over is increasing faster than younger age cohorts. This is the result of decreased fertility and increased longevity. Croatia has also been faced with demographic ageing, and the population aged 65 and older currently outnumbers the population aged 0-15 years. The situation regarding demographic ageing is particularly severe in rural areas and rural ageing has multiple implications for rural communities and stakeholders. Rural areas have been at a disadvantage in terms of opportunities for economic development, often due to underdeveloped infrastructure and their distance from the main transport routes, making them less attractive for business investments. In the period of intensive industrial development of urban areas in Croatia after the Second World War, rural areas witnessed intensive labour migration toward the cities, which ultimately resulted in depopulation and ageing of rural areas. The literature indicates that the rural population is at higher risk of old-age poverty, solitude, and limited access to health care services. The aim of this paper is to analyse the demographic ageing of rural areas in Zadar County to determine the level of rural ageing, to indicate whether there are notable differences between rural areas on the islands and on the mainland, and to investigate any gender differences. We use methods of inferential statistics to test such differences. By using GIS tools, we will visualize the ageing indicators in the rural settlements of Zadar County and classify them according to the level of ageing, and to outline the existing and future implications of demographic ageing in the study area.

Located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Pannonian basin and Dinaric Alps, Croatia has favourable natural conditions for the development of agriculture. It has experienced the evolution of the agricultural landscape since the Neolithic. However, during the last thirty years, Croatia has faced intensive land use and landscape changes due to the intensification of various, mostly negative, socioeconomic processes. This paper aims to identify the driving forces that have influenced contemporary land use and landscape changes in Croatia. Data retrieved from the Corine Land Cover, Statistical yearbooks and Agricultural censuses were analysed and visualized using GIS software. Also, a literature overview was done and results were compared with the similar researches performed in other European countries. In general, the used agricultural area in Croatia is decreasing while the share of forests and woodlands is increasing. The reasons for the decrease of the agricultural area mostly lie in the transition from planned to the market economy, Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), growth of the service sector (especially tourism) and unfavourable demographic trends which are results of depopulation and ageing especially in rural areas. On the other hand, the areas under newly planted olive groves and vineyards are expanding encouraged by the fact that wine and olive oil are some of the most lucrative agricultural products. One of the most important factors that influenced an increase in certain land use categories are accession to the EU in 2013 and subsidies provided for farming. As a consequence, traditional agricultural landscapes in Croatia are disappearing and the regeneration of the natural vegetation is taking place on abandoned land. On the other hand, new cultural landscapes are being shaped although their share in total area is rather small.

Located at the crossroads of the Pannonian basin, Mediterranean and Dinaric Alps, Croatia has favorable soil and climatic conditions for the development of agriculture. However, Croatia has faced intensive land abandonment during the last thirty years. Major reasons for that have been the transition from planned to the market economy, Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), strong growth of the service sector (especially tourism), mostly elderly population in rural areas, small plots, and property issues. In general, the used agricultural area is decreasing while the share of forests and woodlands is increasing. This paper aims to present the current situation with vineyards as a land use category and identify the factors that have influenced the changes in vineyard areas in Croatia. Both archival and contemporary data and GIS will be used to analyze the data and visualize the results. Vineyards are a land use category especially susceptible to social and economic changes. During the 1880s there were almost 180, 000 hectares of vineyards of Croatia, in the 1950s 100, 000 ha while nowadays vineyards cover around 20, 000 ha. Although the area under vineyards is decreasing, there is a difference between small traditional vineyards cultivated for personal needs, threatened to completely disappear, and newly-planted vineyards which surface is increasing. New winemakers are often successful on the market because they produce high-quality wine. This is, among other reasons, the result of Croatia's accession to the EU in 2013, which enabled it to gain access to the new markets and receive subsidies for agricultural production. Also, after 2013, there has been a considerable growth of organically farmed land in Croatia. Although this refers mainly to pastures and ploughlands, organically produced wine is more lucrative than the conventional one. Small family farms are the main bearers of the new vineyard cultivation, however, the majority of them cultivate less than 1 ha. The main winegrowing regions in Croatia are located in its littoral (insular and coastal belt of Dalmatia and Istria) and continental part (Eastern Slavonia and Central Croatia). Regional clustering of wine growing is, therefore, present, but it is not pronounced.

U nas dosad najobuhvatniji i opširan prikaz hrvatske geografije, odnosno zemljopisa kao znanosti i struke, čini građu sedme knjige Velike geografije Hrvatske pod naslovom Razvoj i značenje hrvatske geografije. Na otprilike 600 stranica autori kronološki, od srednjeg vijeka do 2020. godine, iznose građu i činjenice o razvoju hrvatske geografske misli te o važnosti zemljopisnih istraživanja hrvatskih geografa i istraživača iz drugih struka koji su se u prošlosti bavili prostornim obilježjima i promjenama u nas i u svijetu. Obrađene su faze razvoja hrvatske geografije vezane za srednjovjekovna i novovjekovna postignuća, posebice ona u 19. i 20 stoljeću, kad je geografija kao znanost institucionalizirana, i danas, kad je ona sveučilišni studij i istraživačka jezgra na sveučilištima u Zagrebu i Zadru. Knjiga obiluje podatcima o osobama i djelima, a sadržava i popis literature i kazalo osobnih imena i etnika te zemljopisnih imena kao pomoć u nalaženju pojmova i osoba. Razvoj hrvatske geografije važan je dio sveukupnog razvoja znanosti, obrazovanja i odgoja u Hrvatskoj. Do sada nije napisana sveobuhvatna sinteza o razvoju hrvatske geografije pa ova sedma knjiga Velike geografije Hrvatske ima poticajnu ulogu u daljnjem istraživanju razvoja geografije u Hrvatskoj. Geografija općenito, pa tako i u našoj zemlji, ima nezamjenjivu odgojnu, obrazovnu i znanstveno-istraživačku ulogu. U prošlosti i danas hrvatski geografi ostvaruju nezaobilazno društveno poslanje otvaranja novih spoznaja i prenošenja znanja o prostoru kao važnom dijelu ljudskog i nacionalnog opstojanja i razvoja. Stoljećima su pridonosili općem kulturološkom i spoznajnom ciklusu čovječanstva, a danas su neizostavan dio hrvatskoga osnovnog, srednjeg i visokog obrazovanja, te sudionici brojnih poslova u prostornom planiranju, uređivanju prostora, kartografiji, geoinformatici, znanosti, mjerništvu, statistici, turizmu, leksikografiji, izdavaštvu, državnoj upravi, lokalnoj samoupravi, politici, novinarstvu, medijima, vojsci, zaštiti prirodne i kulturne baštine itd. Time pridonose razvoju svoje struke i znanosti te cjelokupnom razvoju Republike Hrvatske. Glavni cilj sedme knjige Velike geografije Hrvatske, monografskog izdanja Razvoj i značenje hrvatske geografije, prikupljanje je, dopuna i sređivanje dostupne građe i podataka o procesima, obilježjima i osobama koji su zadužili ili danas unapređuju hrvatsku geografiju kao struku i znanost. U knjizi se hrvatskim geografima podrazumijevaju Hrvati ili osobe hrvatskoga podrijetla, rođeni u Hrvatskoj ili izvan nje, koji su živjeli ili žive u Hrvatskoj ili diljem svijeta, i djelovali su ili djeluju na području geografije, zatim pripadnici drugih naroda i manjina koji su rođeni na tlu Hrvatske, bez obzira na to gdje su boravili ili borave, te stranci koji su živjeli i djelovali ili i danas žive i djeluju u Hrvatskoj dajući svoj prinos geografiji. Građu ove knjige čine poglavlja o razvoju hrvatske geografije u vremenskom slijedu od zreloga srednjeg vijeka do danas, i to: do institucionalizacije potkraj 19. st., poslije institucionalizacije do kraja Prvoga svjetskog rata, od kraja Prvoga do kraja Drugoga svjetskog rata, poslije Drugoga svjetskog rata do stjecanja neovisnosti Republike Hrvatske i od stjecanja neovisnosti do danas. Hrvatska geografija u posljednjih devet stoljeća prošla je više razvojnih faza, uvelike pridonijevši europskoj i svjetskoj geografiji. Stotine istraživača, znanstvenika i učitelja bavile su se ne samo zemljopisnim obilježjima hrvatskog prostora nego i mnogih drugih prostora Europe i svijeta. Upravo Knjiga 7. s pregledom razvoja i postignuća hrvatske geografije od srednjeg vijeka do danas pokazuje njezin vrijedan doprinos europskoj i svjetskoj geografiji.

Iako turizam na prostoru Hrvatske ima tradiciju dulju od stoljeća i pol, intenzivnije se počeo razvijati na području Primorske Hrvatske tijekom druge polovice 20. st. s izrazitom dominacijom kupališnog turizma. Od 1996. do 2019. broj ostvarenih turističkih dolazaka i noćenja je gotovo stalno rastao, međutim prostorno je i vremenski ograničen uz obalu tijekom nekoliko ljetnih mjeseci. S druge strane, značajan je potencijal ruralnih prostora koji obuhvaćaju više od 90 % površine Hrvatske, a istovremeno se u njima odvija samo oko 5 % turističkog prometa. Cilj istraživanja je analizirati trenutno stanje i mogućnosti razvoja turizma u ruralnoj regiji Ravni kotari, u zaobalnom dijelu Zadarske županije. Uz analizu kvantitativnih pokazatelja obavljeno je i kvalitativno istraživanje. Provedeni su polustrukturirani intervjui s različitim dionicima procesa turističkog razvoja u svrhu utvrđivanja njihove percepcije o pojedinim aspektima razvoja turizma. Rezultati ukazuju na razvoj smještajnih kapaciteta i nedostatak oblikovanja ostale turističke ponude. Premda jača inicijativa osnivanja obiteljskih poljoprivrednih gospodarstava, njihova poveznica s turizmom je razmjerno mala. Iznajmljivači, djelatnici u turističkim zajednicama i ostali dionici smatraju da su potencijali između smještajne ponude s jedne te ponude različitih sadržaja (gastronomija, kulturni sadržaji, aktivnosti u prirodi) s druge strane neiskorišteni. Premda su pozitivni koraci napravljeni posljednjih nekoliko godina, prostora za napredak i dalje ima.

According to many international classifications, at the global scale Croatian Islands could be classified as small. The biggest among them is Cres with total area of 405.7 sq km and the most populated island is Krk with 19, 383 inhabitants (according to 2011 census). Islands make up only 5.8% of the total land surface area of the Republic of Croatia, but they accounted for 18.4% of all tourist arrivals and 24.1% of overnight stays in 2017, according to data on tourist trends for the whole country. Even though Croatian Islands have similar natural resources and socio-historical development, there are huge differences among islands based on their geographical position, vicinity to the mainland, population number, distribution of settlements and traffic connection with the mainland. All mentioned factors influence tourist development and make difference in recognizing their tourist potential and perspective. The seasonality of the tourism has impact on the organization of everyday life of islanders but it also makes pressure on sensitive islands’ infrastructure, landscape and islands’ and surrounding sea water environment. The authors researched the social processes on islands caused by tourism and housing, and their influence on changing the island landscapes. They analysed changes in populations and tourist numbers in the last few decades, with a special emphasis on typology of islands taking in consideration mentioned differences among them.

Land use changes are a result of natural and cultural factors within particular spatial and chronological frame. However, different land use categories respond to those factors with different degree. Vineyards are among categories most susceptible to change for several reasons ; they are labour-intensive, grapes can be painstaking to cultivate and wine, although usually lucrative product, is not essential in the human diet. The cultivation of vineyards in Croatia can be traced to the first millennium BC but only during the 19th century the first systematic land survey was performed (Franciscan cadaster) which provided us actual data on vineyard area. Beside the cadaster, data were collected and compared from statistical yearbooks, Corine LC and Croatian Agency for Agriculture. The results show a decrease of vineyards in the last 150 years, from over 170 000 ha in 1880s to cca 20 000 ha in 2018. During this period, Croatia experienced several land management systems: peasantry/innovations, collectivization and extensification. Other factors such as phylloxera (19th century), industrialization (1950s-1980s) and Homeland war (1991-1995) also caused a decrease of vineyard areas. Nevertheless, since the accession of Croatia to the EU in 2013, there is an increase of newly planted vineyards due to the financial support in agriculture. Simultaneously, the traditional cultivation on small plots for personal use has continued to reduce and is threatened to completely disappear.

U radu je istražen historijskogeografski razvoj s naglaskom na kulturni krajolik podruja oko Kuding mosta. Istraženo je kako su tradicionalne djelatnosti (poljoprivreda, posebno stočarstvo) oblikovale krajolik i nastojalo se kartografski pobliže utvrditi kad je izgrađen Kudin most.

Primošten and Rogoznica are the two southern most coastal municipalities in the Šibenik-Knin County in the central part of Littoral Croatia. Both were traditional agricultural and fishery communities however since the 1960s both are experiencing significant spatial and social changes due to the development of tourism. The aim of this research is to analyze land use changes between the 1960s and today. Tourism is driving force of land use change in these communities during this timeframe. Land use patterns from agricultural landscape can be considered an aspect of cultural heritage. Features of Mediterranean agricultural areas like traditional stone architecture (houses and drystone walls) or agricultural planting patterns (vineyards and olive groves) are very pronounced in Primošten-Rogoznica area. A mixed method research design was used to analyse land use change in the study area. Tourist activities data was obtained from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics and georeferenced aerial photo and cadaster GIS data were also gathered. All the data was spatial registered and organized in a GIS database for analysis. Results showed that during the timeframe of the change detection, farmland was abandoned and depopulation of the hinterland areas around Primošten and Rogoznica occurred. Also during this timeframe an increased saturation of the narrow coastal belt took place. Numerous rental houses were built in the region and altered the traditional landscape. The driving factor of change, sea and sun, can no long support increased development in the study area. For continued growth in Primošten and Rogoznica the surrounding hinterland needs to be examined. Some development steps have already been undertaken by local stakeholders regarding rural tourism, but further development can focus on the landscape factors of the region's cultural heritage. This development will need to done in a sustainable manner to preserve the Primošten-Rogoznica area.

Razvoj ljudskih zajednica u izravnoj je vezi s poljoprivredom tj. uzgojem biljaka i životinja radi proizvodnje hrane. Budući da se poljoprivreda počela razvijati od neolitika, od toga razdoblja se mogu istraživati i promjene korištenja zemljišta. Cilj rada je analizirati promjene korištenja zemljišta na području katastarske općine Bibinje od 19. st. do danas, ali dati i uopćeni prikaz korištenja zemljišta do 19. st. Osim arhivskih izvora (podaci franciskanskog katastra) u istraživanju će se koristiti i noviji materijali (ortofoto snimke, podaci Državne geodetske uprave). S obzirom na geografski položaj i prirodnogeografske značajke katastarske općine Bibinje, korištenje zemljišta (a time i oblikovanje krajolika) počelo je u prapovijesti. Od tada je ono bilo uvjetovano političkim, društvenim i gospodarskim prilikama pa je u određenim razdobljima korištenje zemljišta obilježeno usponima (npr. u antici), a u nekim padovima (npr. tijekom mletačko-osmanskih ratova). Bez obzira na to, poljoprivreda je do sredine 20. st. bila osnovna djelatnost kojom se stanovništvo bavilo, posebno uzgojem žitarica i stoke sitnog zuba. Sukladno tome, oranice, vinogradi i pašnjaci bili su često najrasprostranjenije kategorije zemljišta. U drugoj polovici 20. st., prvo zbog industrijalizacije obale (tako i obližnjeg Zadra), a zatim jačanja turizma u Bibinjama, stanovništvo je napuštalo poljoprivredu kao prevladavajuću djelatnost i zapošljavalo se u djelatnostima sekundarnog i tercijarnog sektora. Iako kronološki najkraće te su promjene korištenja zemljišta vrlo intenzivne što je u krajoliku vidljivo kao prirodna obnova raslinja na nekoć iskrčenim površinama i izgradnja stambene infrastrukture.

The development of tourism on Croatian Islands started in the second half of the 20th century and until today it became dominant and in some cases the only viable economic activity. Impact of tourism can be seen on almost all islands but there are significant differences regarding the number of tourists and accommodation units that are proportional with the size of the islands and their proximity to the mainland. Bigger islands, bridged islands and the ones closer to mainland have record higher numbers of arrivals and accommodation units. Tourism also influenced land use and landscape changes. Former agricultural zones are nowadays abandoned and natural reforestation took place. Simultaneously, the built-up area (touristic infrastructure) has increased several times. At the moment most Croatian Islands are facing serious demographic crisis. That is the reason why tourism is expected to become a cohesion force that could keep islanders on the islands providing better living conditions and higher living standard. This paper is putting in correlation tourism and socio-economic changes on Zadar Islands as a case study area. Based on statistical data analyses, survey and field research it can be concluded that the tourism has not yet reversed negative socio-economic process on Islands although in some cases it has positive impact on population and economy.

Suvremene gospodarske značajke mnogih naselja Primorske Hrvatske, a posebno priobalnih, temelje se na turističkoj djelatnosti. Turizam nije samo djelatnost koja upošljava značajan broj radno sposobnog stanovništva nego je i generator društvenih i demografskih promjena kao i promjena krajolika. Cilj rada je istražiti razvoj i značajke turizma Bibinja i njegov utjecaj na preobrazbu naselja i promjene gospodarske strukture. Bibinje su priobalno naselje smješteno u središnjem dijelu Primorske Hrvatske u neposrednoj blizini Zadra. Prirodna osnova bila je inicijalni čimbenik privlačenja turista i razvoja turizma. Značajne promjene su nastupile izgradnjom Jadranske turističke ceste tj. magistrale 1960-ih i sve većim dolaskom turista. Vrhunac takvog masovnog turizma ostvaren je 80-ih godina prošlog stoljeća. Domovinski rat je značajno unazadio turistički sektor, broj turista i noćenja je višestruko opao, a počeo se oporavljati nakon 1995., po završetka ratnih operacija. Posljednjih godina bilježe se rekordi turističkog prometa u mnogim naseljima Primorske Hrvatske, pa tako i u Bibinjama. Tomu je prethodio porast broja postelja tj. broja smještajnih kapaciteta izgradnjom stanova za odmor i apartmana. Osim kupališnog turizma, koji prevladava u Bibinjama, važan je i nautički turizam koji se razvija od izgradnje marine D-Marina Dalmacija, najveće na istočnoj obali Jadrana.

Land use changes of the Ravni Kotari area, a central part of the Littoral Croatia, were analyzed in this paper. Several different methods were used in this research ; from 18th and 19th centuries cadaster to contemporary satellite images. Pastures and ploughlands as the basis of food production had the largest share in total surface throughout the researched period. On the other hand, profitability of wine and olive oil enabled expansion of vineyards in the late 19th and olive groves and vineyards in the early 21st centuries.

During last century and half Croatian islands’ landscape was drastically transformed due to intensive socio-economic changes. At the turn and in the first half of the 20th century crisis in vineyard cultivation and wine production caused significant land-use changes of the fertile areas on islands which reflected on the islands’ landscapes. Migration to mainland and transition from primary to secondary and tertiary economic activities during second half of the 20th century resulted in intensive land abandonment. Žirje is small island situated within Šibenik archipelago with one settlement (103 inhabitants according to 2011 Census). During the history its inhabitants heavily depended on natural resources. They were mostly involved in fishery, cattle breeding and vineyard cultivation. Vineyards were mostly situated in Žirajsko polje, the central and most fertile islands’ zone. After big crisis in vineyard cultivation took place in the late 19th century, drastic changes occurred in that zone. It was transformed to partly cultivated and then afterwards to mostly abandoned agricultural area. Land-use changes of Žirajsko polje at the cadastral level from the middle 19th century up to nowadays were analysed in the paper. Historical analysis included the use of archival and contemporary data from the national cadastral office.

Ravni Kotari is a physiognomic region within central part of Littoral Croatia. Geomorphologically, this area is characterized by alternating carbonate ridges and flysch valleys, with large areas of fertile land. In that area, a total of 29 Neolithic sites are known today. Microlocational analysis shows that they are located close to water, pastures, forests, fertile Quaternary sediments with related arable plots and clay deposits. In order to create a complete picture of perception, categorization and exploitation of the economic potential at Ravni kotari in Neolithic period, and to determine possible locations of still undiscovered şites, all currently known Neolithic sites in Ravni Kotari were recorded as points in GIS software ArcMap. Based on the spatial distribution of currently known sites, types of geological sediments, basic geomorphological features and availability of water, we suggest 41 new possible Neolithic sites. They can mostly be found in the middle and southern/southeastern part of Ravni Kotari. The main reason for that are larger areas of Quaternary sediments there than in other parts of Ravni Kotari. Their spatial distribution shows positive correlation to the economic potentials of Ravni Kotari environment. Future field work should be oriented towards those potential sites to confirm, improve or disprove proposed theoretical model.

Trajektna veza Zadar – Preko uvedena je 1973. godine, a u prvom desetljeću 21. st. ostvarila je više od 1, 5 milijuna prevezenih putnika godišnje. Upravo svakodnevne cirkulacije s otoka Ugljana do Zadra, prometna povezanost otoka Ugljana i Pašmana mostom i geografska blizina uzroci su da je veza Zadar – Preko već dugi niz godina jedna od najfrekventnijih na Jadranu. Zbog toga udio Luke Zadar u ukupnom putničkom prometu Republike Hrvatske iznosi više od 30% u odnosu na manje od 5% ukupnog teretnog prometa. Godine 2015. trajektna luka je izmještena iz područja stare gradske luke (Poluotok) na prostor novosagrađenog terminala u Gaženici koji se nalazi na jugoistočnom ulazu u Zadar. Dio putničkog prometa koji se obavlja katamaranima ipak je zadržan u staroj luci. Prema tome, putnici na liniji Zadar – Preko mogu koristiti katamaransku liniju s Poluotoka (ako su pješaci) i trajektnu liniju iz Gaženice (ako putuju automobilom). Da bi se utvrdila obilježja dnevnih cirkulacija na relaciji Zadar – Preko u razdoblju od 23. do 29. ožujka 2015. provedeno je anketno ispitivanje putnika na toj trajektnoj liniji. Slučajnim odabirom prikupljeno je i obrađeno 2185 anketnih obrazaca..Osnovna svrha ankete bila je utvrditi potrebu za katamaranskim i/ili trajektnim prijevozom i prometne navike stanovništva na otocima Ugljanu i Pašmanu kao i stanovnika s kopna koji svakodnevno putuju na posao na otok kako bi se njima pomorske linije mogle bolje prilagoditi.

Development of tourism on Zadar Islands at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century transformed them into mainly leisure zones. Once dependent on agriculture, fishing and maritime transport Zadar Islands became strongly dependent on tourism. Tourism influenced transformation of landscape, coastal and marine ecosystems, but also caused social and cultural changes. Based on statistical data, survey and field research the aim of this paper is to determine whether tourism can reverse negative socio-economic processes on Zadar Islands such as population decline, aging, and economic stagnation. Statistical data referred to official demographic and tourist records while survey included questions about current and future islands development. The answers were later analysed by Mann-Whitney (U) test and Chi-square test. Results showed that tourism is nowadays the most important economic activity on Zadar Islands but fishery and agriculture should have prominent role as well. This paper is a contribution to study of Zadar Islands, especially because it includes an opinion of local population on various issues, which was until now rarely done.

Landscapes have multiple meanings – they represent both the materialistic world and the subjective perception of space. Geographical research in the past has mostly dealt with the landscape's physical and social features. Over time, the focus has shifted and contemporary geographical research emphasizes the study of land use and land cover changes. Landscape development in Croatia and especially Littoral Croatia was marked by complex historical, social and economical factors. Ravni Kotari, the research area, is a physiognomic subunit of the central part of Littoral Croatia. Its physical features, such as fertile land and availability of water made Ravni Kotari suitable for agricultural production and settling since prehistory. Furthermore, the period of Roman rule and the Late Middle Ages marked the first two peaks in Ravni Kotari landsacpe development. Unfavorable conditions during Ottoman-Venetian wars in the 16th and 17th centuries caused discontinuity in landscape development. After liberation from Ottoman rule, the Venetian Republic organized settlement in Ravni Kotari because it wanted to establish a permanent military border towards Ottoman Empire. Settlers were given land and in return they had to serve as soldiers in case of war. Division of land was performed by cadastral survey, the first to take place in Ravni Kotari or Croatia. The primary role of cadastre was to monitor settling. However, the cadastre also recorded general spatial distribution and the surface of different land use categoriessuch as ploughlands, pastures, vineyards, meadows, uncultivated and infertile land. The largest shares belonged to pastures and ploughlands as a result of dominant grain cultivation and cattle breeding. The Venetian cadastre was not flawless considering the measurement techniques of that time and the categorization of land, but its importance is in introducing land survey that marks a starting point in land use study of Ravni Kotari area. The cadastre was made in the early 18th century which means that today we can track landscape development up to 300 years in the past. Another important fact is that contemporary Ravni Kotari landscape has its roots in early 18th cenutry, meaning that there were no more such profound discontinuities in landscape development.

Krajolik Ravnih kotara, središnjeg dijela Primorske Hrvatske, bio je objekt istraživanja ove disertacije. No, s obzirom na to da područje Kotara nije jasno određeno, prvo je izvršena regionalizacija tog prostora s četirima dobivenim subregionalnom cjelinama. Potom je s historijskogeografskog motrišta raspravljeno korištenje zemljišta i oblikovanje ravnokotarskog krajolika tijekom prošlosti, od prapovijesti do danas. Izdvojeno je ukupno šest glavnih kulturnih razdoblja oblikovanja ravnokotarskog krajolika: prapovijest, rimska uprava, srednjovjekovno razdoblje, razdoblje mletačko-osmanskog vrhovništva, 19. i prva polovica 20. stoljeća i druga polovica 20. stoljeća. Uz to, identificirani su nepovoljni društveno- politički i gospodarski čimbenici koji su uzrokovali prekide tj. diskontinuitete u razvoju ravnokotarskog krajolika, a odnose se na razdoblja ranog srednjeg vijeka, 16. i 17. stoljeća i obrambenog Domovinskog rata. Drugi dio istraživanja krajolika obuhvatio je analize promjena korištenja zemljišta od 18. do 21. stoljeća. Uspoređeni su prostorni rasporedi i udjeli pojedinih kategorija zemljišta na razini 80-ak ravnokotarskih katastarskih općina. Najveće promjene udjela u ukupnim površinama katastarskih općina i Ravnih kotara kao cjeline imali su oranice, pašnjaci i šume dok su se površine pod vrtovima i livadama vrlo malo mijenjale. Danas se, otprilike, jedna trećina ravnokotarskog zemljišta obrađuje, jedna trećina je pod makijom/šikarom i šumom, a ostalo se koristi ili kao pašnjak ili je neplodno tj. izgrađeno zemljište. Kao studija slučaja je odabrana katastarska općina Nadin na primjeru koje je, koristeći krajobrazne metrike, iscrpnije istražen razvoj krajolika tj. korištenje zemljišta. The object of research in this dissertation was Ravni Kotari landscape, a central part of Littoral Croatia. Since there is no clear definition of Ravni Kotari region, regionalization was performed first, and four smaller regional units comprising Kotari were detected. The land use and formation of Ravni Kotari landscape in the past, since prehistory until today, was discussed from the viewpoint of historical geography. A total of six main cultural periods were determined during which Ravni Kotari landscape was formed: prehistory, Roman period, the Medieval period, the period of the Venetian-Ottoman supremacy, the 19th and the first half of the 20th century and the second half of the 20th century. In addition, unfavourable socio-political and economic factors that caused the interruptions i.e. discontinuities in the development of Ravni Kotari landscape were identified. They correspond to the period of the early Middle Ages, the 16th and 17th century and the Homeland War. The second part of the research included the analysis of land use change from the 18th until the 21st century. A comparison of spatial distribution and shares of each category of land was performed based on approximately 80 Ravni Kotari cadastral municipalities. Plough-fields, pastures and forests underwent the largest share changes in total surface of cadastral municipalities as well as entire Ravni Kotari area. On the other hand, shares of gardens and meadows remained mostly the same. Today, approximately one third of Ravni Kotari land is cultivated, one third is covered with bush/macchia and forest, and the rest is either used as pasture or is infertile (including built-up areas). The development of landscape i.e. land use was comprehensively researched using landscape metrics on a case study – Nadin cadastral municipality.

U radu se analizira razvoj i preobrazba krajolika u trima naseljima šibenskog zaobalja – Danilo Birnja, Danila i Danilo Kraljica pod utjecajem suvremenih modernizacijskih procesa. Prvo su obrađene osnove demografske značajke tog prostora koje su pokazale da je broj stanovnika u drugoj polovici 20. st. postupno opadao u svim trima naseljima i da je sve manje stanovništva aktivno u poljoprivredi. Potom je razmotren razvoj i preobrazba naselja pod utjecajem izgradnje osnovne komunalne infrastrukture, a zatim i drugih objekata. Drugi segment preobrazbe se odnosio na promjene u korištenju agrarnog prostora koji je istražen na temelju podataka o kategorijama zemljišta iz četiri razdoblja ; sredine 19. st., početka i sredine 20. st. i početka 21. st. Analiza je pokazala da je zemljište najintenzivnije bilo korišteno u prvoj polovici 20. st., a najmanje intenzivno početkom 21. st. Zaključno, današnji krajolik naselja Danilskog polja je većinom ruralni krajolik s poduzorkom agrarnog krajolika i manjim brojem uzoraka tehničkog (industrijskog) krajolika.

U radu se, s geografskog stajališta, analiziraju osnovne značajke regija, regionalizacije i njihove primjene u praktičnim istraživanjima. Navedeni su vrste i tipovi regija i obilježja dijelova regija. Također je objašnjena regionalizacija, temeljni načini i metode s posebnim osvrtom na uvjetno-homogenu i nodalno-funkcionalnu regionalizaciju Hrvatske. U poglavlju o praktičnim regionalnim istraživanjima najviše se raspravlja o ulozi regionalizacije u oblikovanju upravno-teritorijalnih jedinica, te o regionalnom pristupu u definiranju tradicijskih regija.

A large part of the Mediterranean basin is characterized by semi-arid and arid climates which – together with other factors such as geological basis and human influence – affect fresh water availability in the region. In the past, human settlements depended on often scarce water resources which were able to sustain only limited population. In modern times, such shortcomings are resolved by applying modern hydrotechnical solutions which enable the use of previously inaccessible water resources (e.g. deep groundwater, sea water, etc.). Southern Sardinia is a typical semi-arid region with limited local water resources and dense population, which makes it rely on transport of fresh water from remote, more humid areas of the island. The Villasimius municipality is a good example of a small community dealing with a conflict of modern economical development and limited water supply. In the recent decades, traditional agriculture- based economy was replaced by fast growing tourism which peaks in dry summer months, thus creating immense pressure on local water sources. To meet the increasing water demands, several modern technical solutions, such as waste water recycling and desalination of sea water, were applied. Even so, the availability of water presents a key issue in municipalities’ present economic development

The aim of this paper is to analyze the representation of forts and strongholds on the north-eastern Adriatic coast and hinterland (present day Croatia) in Vincenzo Coronelli's isolario MARI, GOLFI, ISOLE, SPIAGGIE, PORTI, CITTA, Fortezze, Ed Altri Luoghi Dell' Istria, Quarner, DALMAZIA ALBANIA EPIRO, E LIVADIA, Delineati, e Descritti Dal P(ADRE) GENERALE CORONELLI. This particular isolario was published in 1688 as the third part of Coronelli's atlas Atlante della Repubblica di Venezia. The basic methodology used includes the interpretation of socio-geographic elements from Coronelli’s original maps included in the isolario, housed in the State Archives in Zadar. Coronelli’s maps were also compared with other cartographic depictions of north-eastern Adriatic forts. During the period of the Venetian administration of eastern Adriatic (15-18th centuries) the Senate of the Republic considered the area to be of great geostrategic importance, especially during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, when several wars were waged against the Ottoman Empire, one of Venice’s major rivals. The Republic's acquisition of new territories after those wars required them to be appropriately cartographically depicted. This was a task for Vincenzo Coronelli, the official cartographer of the Venetian Republic. Coronelli's work was not only based on older available maps, but also on field research and first-hand information obtained from soldiers and seamen who had been stationed throughout the eastern Adriatic. Therefore, Mari, golfi, isole spiaggie, porti, citta... introduced a multitude of geographical, military, historical and other information about Adriatic towns and forts. Key ports, naval strongholds and hinterland forts such as Pula (Pola), Zadar (Zara), Knin (Chnin), Šibenik (Sebenico), Klis (Clissa), Split (Spalato), Hvar (Liesina), Korčula (Curzola) were depicted several times on maps and panoramas. Zadar and Split were given the greatest attention, since Zadar was the centre of Venetian Dalmatia and Split was an important strategic and commercial location on the route towards the Ottoman Empire.

Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and the largest national park in Croatia inscribed on UNESCO World Natural Heritage list in 1979. The basic phenomen of the park is continuous and undisturbed production of tufa, a porous limestone rock deposited out of hard water. In 2011 the maximum of 1, 1 million tourist visiting the Plitvice Lakes was recorded, making them one of the most popular tourist attractions in Croatia. The National park is very important for economy of wider area of Lika region because it enables development of tourism and reduces the unemployment rate among local population.

Regija bi se najjednostavnije mogla definirati kao prostorna jedinica – dio Zemljine površine koji obilježava individualnost i neponovljivost sveukupnih obilježja. To podrazumijeva da unutar regije, bez obzira na veličinu te kriterije i namjenu njezina određivanja, postoji dovoljna razina homogenosti odabranih obilježja po kojima se tako izdvojeni prostor razlikuje u odnosu na druge, ponajprije susjedne dijelove Zemljine površine. Pri tome se regija smatra dijelom odgovarajućega prostornog sustava (globalnoga, kontinentalnog, intrakontinentalnog i dr.) koji je sastavljen od struktura koje se prostorno i vremenski stalno mijenjaju pod utjecajem različitih prirodnih, društvenih i gospodarskih interakcija. Postupak regionalizacije, podjele nekog prostora na regije, nezaobilazno uključuje razgraničenje. Geografsko gledano, osim u pogledu upravno-teritorijalnog razgraničenja (državnoga, pokrajinskog i sl.) granice nije moguće precizno odrediti već postoje pojasevi dodira u kojima se susjedne regije prožimaju. Povijesno gledano, regiju treba promatrati kao dinamičnu prostornu jedinicu čije granice pulsiraju. Prema tome, kada se definira prostorni obuhvat neke regije valja jasno kronološki pozicionirati te istaknuti vrstu, kriterije i ciljeve regionalizacije. Regija održava konceptualizaciju određenog prosora s prirodoslovnog (geomorfološkog, klimatološkog, biogeografskog itd.), društveno-gospodarskog (povijesnog, kulturnog, jezičnog, religijskog, ekonomskog, uvjetno-homogenog, nodalno-funkcionalnog), političkog i različitih drugih aspekata. S geografskoga funkcionalnog gledišta regija je prostorni model koji, uz ostalo, djeluje kao žarište prostorne kulturne identifikacije te kao medij društvenih procesa.

Svrha ovog rada je istražiti i objasniti upravno- teritorijalne mijene otoka Raba tijekom povijesno- zemljopisnog razvoja i obrazložiti suvremeno stanje unutar Jadranske Hrvatske, odnosno Primorsko-goranske županije. Otok Rab pripada Kvarnerskom otočju (do početka 20. st. sjevernodalmatinskim otocima), a zbog svog geografskog položaja i prirodne osnove, imao je osebujan historijsko-geografski razvoj. Poljoprivreda i pomorstvo u prošlosti te turizam u najnovije vrijeme su ključne djelatnosti koje su omogućavale opstojnost i prosperitet otoka u različitim političkim sustavima i društvenim okolnostima. Razvoj grada Raba, a time i prve organizirane teritorijalne uprave cijelog otoka, započeo je za vrijeme rimske uprave kad je Rab imao status municipija. Tijekom većeg dijela srednjeg i novog vijeka (do 1797.) grad Rab je funkcionirao kao samostalna komuna čija se vlast rasprostirala na cijelom otoku, ali i na susjednom kopnu i sjevernom dijelu otoka Paga. Razdoblje 19. i 20. stoljeća je obilježeno mnogobrojnim teritorijalnim promjenama, često politički uvjetovanim. Krajem 20. stoljeća, stvaranjem samostalne Hrvatske, i jačanjem Novalje na susjednom Pagu, upravno-teritorijalni ustroj ograničio sa na sam otok i pripadajuće manje otoke. Prema trenutnom stanju, sedam naselja na otoku čini Grad Rab (Banjol, Barbat, Kampor, Mundanije, Palit, Rab, Supetarska Draga) dok je najsjevernije otočno naselje, Lopar, izdvojeno u samostalnu općinu 2006. Sadašnji i budući razvoj cijelog otoka treba temeljiti na lokalnom gospodarstvu i tradicionalnim djelatnostima, a upravno-teritorijalni ustroj treba biti prvenstveno u funkciji tog razvoja.

The development of the Croatian Islands has been closely connected to the water resources. Up to the end of the Second World War, the islands's economy was dominated by the agriculture, while after the war tourism took over the leading role. It should be pointed out that there is a huge discrepancy in the development of the large and small inhabited Croatian Islands. Such discrepancy is caused by the lack of water resources on the small islands, which in turn has a deep economic as well as demographic impact on them.

Općina Unešić, ustrojbeno dio Šibensko-kninske županije u Južnoj Hrvatskoj (Dalmaciji), novija je upravno-teritorijalna jedinica smještena u sjevernodalmatinskom zaobalnom prostoru Južnog Hrvatskog primorja. Kao sastavni dio šibenskog zaobalja, odnosno šibenske zagore, pripada širem prostoru Dalmatinske zagore. Općinu od 1993. godine čini šesnaest naselja (Cera, Čvrljevo, Donje Planjane, Donje Utore, Donje Vinovo, Gornje Planjane, Gornje Utore, Gornje Vinovo, Koprno, Ljubostinje, Mirlović Zagora, Nevest, Ostrogašica, Podumci, Unešić i Visoka) ukupne površine 187, 45 km2. Prema popisu stanovništva iz 2001., na prostoru općine je živjelo 2.160 st, što je gustoća naseljenosti od samo 11.52 st/km2. Prostor Dalmatinske zagore je, sa znanstvenog gledišta, osim manjih urbanih cjelina, razmjerno dugo bio zanemaren. To se odnosi i na prostor općine Unešić. Tek u novije vrijeme počinje se posvećivati veća pozornost u tom smislu, i to, jednim dijelom, u svrhu objašnjavanja recentnih gospodarskih i demografskih procesa koji su zahvatili prostor Zagore. Na temelju provedenih terenskih istraživanja i analize izvora, autori su obradili značenje geografskog položaja i obuhvata prostora kao i temeljne prirodno-geografske sastavnice općine Unešić (sastav i građu, reljefna, klimatska, hidrogeografska, pedogeografska i fitogeografska obilježja) u funkciji dosadašnjeg i budućeg razvoja. Uz kraći povijesno-zemljopisni osvrt, posebna je pozornost usmjerena na razmatranje društveno-geografskih obilježja razvoja, poglavito stanovništva i gospodarstva. U radu su analizirani prevladavajući procesi deagrarizacije i depopulacije i njihov učinak na promjene u krajoliku. Dani su prijedlozi daljnjeg gospodarskog razvoja općine, koji, s obzirom na prirodnu osnovu, svoje uporište zasigurno ima u pojedinim djelatnostima primarnog sektora i odgovarajućoj društvenoj nadgradnji. Budući da općina Unešić pripada područjima od posebne državne skrbi (taj je status dobila u travnju 2001.), poticajne mjere, financijske, pravne i druge naravi, uz povoljnu prirodno-geografsku osnovu i društveno-geografsko naslijeđe, također mogu postati kvalitetna podloga budućeg razvoja.

Adriatic Sea has had a major geostrategic role on the contact between continental and Mediterranean Europe since the antiquity. Its position and physical features like profound indentedness of the sea into the mainland, well-indented coastline, and numerous islands and islets were crucial factors that attracted maritime forces and caused their mutual rivalry over that part of Europe. Many larger or smaller fortresses, forts, towers, keeps and walls scattered from the Brijuni Islands in the north-west to the Elafiti Islands in the south-east indicate strategic valorization of Croatian Islands during past. The importance of certain strategic points of Croatian archipelago is emphasized by their presence on the maps of different provenances. It should be pointed out that the island forts, except the military function, have also had a markings role, i. e. they were enabling the safer navigation through Adriatic. Until the 19th century, the majority of real and potential military threats that islands were confronting, had been coming from the mainland, and afterwards from the sea. In other words, with the fall of Venetian Republic and the consolidation of Habsburg Monarchy in the Adriatic, the settled and centuries-long geostrategic regularities of this space changed. Islands, that were out of the reach of war operations for a long time, came to the center of geostrategic attention due to external policy of European powers. This was particularly realized during and just after the Second World War. Contemporary military and geographical features of Croatian islands are determined foremost with the creation of independent Republic of Croatia in 1991 as well as it's accession to NATO in 2009.

Pogodne poljodjelske površine u krškim prostorima imaju iznimno značenje za egzistenciju stanovništva. Danilsko polje, jedna od takvih zona, nalazi se u mikroregiji šibensko- rogozničkog primorja, u zaobalju Šibenika. Danilsko je polje, morfološki, udolina ovalna oblika smještena između dva krška grebena, produžetka Trtara s Velikom glavom (542 m) sa sjevera-sjeveroistoka, i znatno nižega Crnog brda s Podima s južne-jugozapadne strane u prostoru naselja Danilo Biranj i Danilo Gornje. Zbog kvalitetnog tla obrada polja susljedno traje već tisućama godina. Polje obilježavaju i oskudne, ali za opstanak stanovništva u prošlosti značajne pojave voda. Prvi poljodjelci Danilskog polja bili su neolitski stanovnici čiji su tragovi očuvani do danas u ostatcima poznate kulture srednjeg neolitika na Jadranu, tj. danilske kulture (4500.-3900. g. pr. Kr.). Kasniji metalnodobni doseljenici utvrdili su se na obližnjoj Velikoj glavi odakle su mogli iz svoje gradine lako nadzirati polje. Rimski su osvajači po lokalnom stanovništvu, Riditima, ogranku plemena Delmata, osnovali svoj municipij Rider usred Danilskog polja, vrjednujući njegove prirodno-geografske potencijale. Od brojnih naroda koji su tim prostorom prošli tijekom Velike seobe, Hrvati su se jedini naselili i nastavili vrjednovati polje i okolni krški okvir za obavljanje transhumance, o kojoj su kao ratarsko-stočarsko društvo ovisili. Tijekom razvijenoga i kasnoga srednjeg vijeka Danilsko je polje bilo u posjedu šibenske komune, najznačajnije po uzgoju vinove loze, maslina i žitarica. Dugotrajno razdoblje nestabilnih geopolitičkih prilika nastupilo je s otomanskim osvajanjima i stvaranjem njihovih uporišta u nedalekim Skradinu i Drnišu. Tek se dvadesetih godina 18. st. ratni vihor stišava, nakon čega je slijedio, u manjoj mjeri, i proces kolonizacije opustjelih područja, a time i Danilskog polja. Od tada, pa praktički sve do danas, glavno je obilježje prostora Danilskog polja tradicionalna polikulturna proizvodnja u različitim uvjetima agrotehničke obrade.

Suitable agriculture zones in karst regions have extraordinary existential meaning. Danilsko polje, one of such zones, is situated in microregion of Šibenik-Rogoznica littoral, in Šibenik hinterland, Croatia. The relief of Šibenik surroundings is characterized by parallel forms extending in NW-SE (Dinaric) direction with three distinguished morphological elements: valleys and ridges (that successively replace each other from islands to Zagora) and plateaus. The ridges are built of thick and stratified Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene limestone, while the valleys are covered with Neogene dolomite, marl and sandstone. Danilsko polje is, morphologically, an oval shaped valley placed between two karst ridges, the extension of Trtar with Velika Glava (542 m) from north-northeast, and significantly lower Crno Brdo with Podi from south-southwest in the area of Danilo Biranj and Danilo Gornje settlements. The length of the polje is about 8 km, maximal width is 1.5 km, and height above sea level is from 137 m to 190 m. The polje is slightly inclined from NE to SW and the lowest point is placed where the waters of polje are drained by Dabar stream towards south, i.e in the direction of Morinje Bay at the coast of Donje Polje. Due to high soil quality, the cultivation of polje is the process that has lasted for thousands of years. Polje is characterized by scarce water sources, which were, nevertheless, very important for the survival of population in the past. The Neolithic population, whose traces have been preserved in the remains of famous middle Neolithic culture on Adriatic, so called Danilo culture (4500 BC - 3900 BC), had been the first farmers of Danilsko polje. Later settlers from Metal Age had fortified themselves at peak Gradina, where they could easily control the polje from their hill-fort. Roman conquerors founded their municipium Rider in the central part of Danilsko polje, and valorized its natural- geographical potentials. From numerous nations who passed through here during the Great Migrations the only ones who settled down and continued to valorize polje were Croats. During High and Late Middle Ages, Danilsko polje was in possession of the Commune of Šibenik, and well-known for cultivation of vineyards, olive trees and cereals. Long-lasting period of unstable geopolitical conditions began with Ottoman conquest and with formation of their strongholds in Skradin and Drniš. It was only in the second half of 18th century that the war turmoil ceased, and after that, to a certain extent, the colonization of deserted areas and Danilsko polje started as well. Ever since, practically until today, the main feature of Danilsko polje is traditional peasant crop production in various conditions of agrotechnical cultivation. The most important crops nowadays are many newly-planted vineyards and olive trees and then figs and vegetable crops. For future valorization of Danilsko polje it is necessary to stimulate ecological production and development of rural tourism. This can surely be a long-lasting process, but they can also give excellent results in the future.

Glavni zadatak rada je s geoprometnog aspekta objasniti ulogu graničnog područja triju susjednih država, Hrvatske, Italije i Slovenije u njihovom međusobnom prometnom povezivanju kao i važnost koju imaju u širem, međunarodnom smislu. Upravno-teritorijalno radi se o prostoru gradova Trsta i Milja te općine San Dorligo/Dolina u Italiji, gradova Koper, Izola, Piran te općina Hrpelje-Kozina i Ilirska Bistrica u Sloveniji te gradova Buje, Buzet, Umag i Novigrad i općina Brtonigla, Grožnjan, Oprtalj, Lanišće i Matulji u Hrvatskoj. U povijesno-geografskom smislu, to je nekad bio jedinstven prostor (dio Austrijskog primorja), posebno vrednovan zbog svog pomorskog značaja na koji su se vezivali i drugi vidovi prometa. Ta njegova uloga je ostala aktualna i danas, unatoč brojnim geopolitičkim promjenama koje su uslijedile. Važnost cestovnog prometa na tom području nezaustavljivo raste, budući da su Hrvatska i Italija, obje sa svoje strane granice sa Slovenijom izgradile autoceste ili poluautoceste, i da je neophodno da slovenska strane na svom teritoriju učini isto. Time bi Jadransko–jonska autocesta, kao važan i perspektivan europski prometni pravac počela ostvarivati svoju važnu ulogu. Izgradnja različitih kategorija prometnica postaje imperativ kad je poznato da svi sektori djelatnosti, posebice tercijarni i kvartarni ovise o dobroj prometnoj povezanosti. Za Slovensko primorje i cijeli hrvatski prostor Istre, koji se smatra turistički najrazvijenijim dijelom Hrvatske, kvalitetne prometnice su „conditio sine qua non“ jer na taj način gosti iz Austrije, Italije, Njemačke i drugih zemalja mogu brzo i sigurno doći do svojih odredišta. Naravno da je politika čimbenik, koji, u ovom slučaju kroz aspekt državnih granica, otežava da granični protok protječe bez teškoća, ali uvažavajući blisku budućnost ulaska i Hrvatske u Europsku zajednicu, odnosno daljnji tijek euroatlantskih integracija, očekuje se da će i to pitanje, uskoro biti uspješno riješeno.

Razvoj hrvatskih jadranskih regija u znatnoj je mjeri u uzročno-posljedičnoj vezi s jednim od najznačajnijih njihovih obilježja – krškom osnovom. Obalna, otočna i podmorska geomorfološka obilježja u kršu Dinarida predodredili su ili su barem bitno utjecali na osnovna obilježja hrvatskog jadranskog priobalja tijekom povijesno-geografskog razvoja utječući prvenstveno na stanovništvo i naselja, gospodarstvo, infrastrukturnu povezanost, geostrateške odnose, oblikovanje krajobraza i druge aspekte života i naseljenosti. Razvoj najvažnijih obalnih regionalnih središta, ujedno i suvremenih županijskih središta priobalnih regija: Rijeke, Splita, Zadra, Pule/Pazina/, Šibenika i Dubrovnika, kao i onih kontinentalnih, Karlovca i Gospića, neposredno je povezan s krškim obilježjima pripadajućih prostora, diferenciranih s obzirom na specifičnosti i istaknutost krške osnove. Taj je razvoj bio i danas je rezultat, s jedne strane, upravno-teritorijalnih, gospodarskih i geostrateških zbivanja, sustavnih ili spontanih procesa regionalizacije i regionalnog razvoja, ali jednako tako i posljedica susljednog razvoja i procesa uvjetovanih prirodno-geografskom osnovom, pa tako i krškim obilježjima. Neujednačen razvoj gospodarskih i društvenih funkcija na hrvatskom kršu, odražava se i na različitosti razvoja hrvatskih priobalnih regija, s više ili manje naglašenim procesima depopulacije najvećeg dijela zaobalnog, ali i dijela primorskog krša Hrvatske, na nisku razinu gospodarskih aktivnosti, te unatoč znatnoj očuvanosti prirodne ravnoteže, na pojedina onečišćenja okoliša. Iskustvo tisućljetnog suživota čovjeka i prirode kao i vrijednosti ne samo zaštićenih objekata prirode u prostoru hrvatskih litoralnih regija omogućuje održivi gospodarski i sveukupan razvoj krških područja, i zaobalnih i priobalnih, i otočnih, ne samo u urbanim i urbaniziranim, nego i u pretežno ruralnim zonama. U suvremenom i budućem razvoju složen i osjetljiv kompleks obalnog, otočnog i podmorskog krša hrvatskih jadranskih regija ima, kao i u tisućljetnom povijesno-geografskom razvoju, prvorazredno značenje.