THE BARRIER EFFECT OF THE DANUBE IN THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH-WEST, OLTENIA REGION. CASE STUDY.

The Danube River has always been a natural barrier as well as a navigable channel - these two major aspects being crucial for the economic development of its common border states for a long period of time. In the context of economic globalization, the barrier effect of the Danube tends to lose importance, becoming a major issue in regional development. The problems raised by the Danube in the territorial policies of development have a direct influence on the regional development of the South- West Oltenia Region. This represents one of the strongest issues for the future strategies of development. The Danube River must be contextualized again and transformed from a nonpermissive barrier into a permissive one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]