Intezitet depopulacije ruralnih područja Like i Sjeverne Dalmacije s aspekta prometne dostupnosti

Due to numerous circumstances unbalanced spatial distribution of population gradually increased during the 20th century. Recent population distribution is characterized by imbalance between urban and rural areas. The overall economic, cultural and political life is concentrated in cities, while the hinterland and adjacent islands are extremely depopulated. In the case of regional merging of Lika and North Dalmatia into a united self-sustainable region, in accordance with European statistical standards of NUTS classification, larger portion of area within the region would be rural. The aim of this paper is to determine the relation between travelling time and the intensity of depopulation of rural settlements of Lika-Senj, Zadar and Šibenik-Knin Counties. The main hypothesis is that longer travelling distance between rural settlements and current administrative centres of observed counties has a negative impact on the intensity of the depopulation of rural settlements. The authors compare the calculated travelling distance with the intensity of depopulation in the period between the last two Population Censuses (2001- 2011). Although the researched area contains 683 settlements, settlements with progressive population change, stagnating settlements and urban settlements were excluded. As the result of post-war migrations, expected depopulation area decreased.