engleski

Socio-demographic changes in the post-socialist city: example of Zagreb

The political and economic transition in the former socialist countries in the East Central and Eastern Europe after 1990 initiated transformation processes in urban areas. Especially striking ones have taken place in the central parts of larger post-socialist cities. The process of transition has influenced in large scale the increase of differences in homogeneous socio-spatial structure. During that period Zagreb has faced large socio-demographic and socio-economic transformations. Residential function is declining in the inner city due to commercialization, while other parts of the city, manly outer, are facing new housing and spatial developments, very often with sprawl characteristics. At present state, due to weak planning regulation, conflict of public and private interests is very marked in the inner city area. There is a very strong pressure from investors to change residential into business function (offices, retail, etc.). Local government at the moment is, unfortunately, encouraging such development. The change of land use in the city centre is accompanied by reconstruction and demolition of old buildings and by construction of new ones mainly on limited old industrial sites. The main aim of this research is to investigate the influence and consequences that such urban development had on socio-demographic structure of Zagreb during the transition period. After 1990 some parts of Zagreb witnessed declining in population number due to out-migration, ageing and natural decrease of population, but in some cases (e.g. inner city) retained high socio-economic status of population, such as lowest rate of unemployment and the best education structure. In the last intercensus period (1991-2001) the population loss in some parts of the city was greater than 20%. Current socio-demographic processes contribute to the creation of new urban-spatial structure. Structural changes at global, international and national levels are felt on both city and neighborhood levels. The outcome is expressed in socio-demographic change in city populations. Socio-demographic change in Zagreb is analyzed using information obtained from population censuses in 1991 and 2001, for the total population, migration and age groups (total and by sex). For evaluation of city’ s socio-demographic characteristics and resources, and intracity differences, the method of demographic resources index (ID) has been applied.

socio-demographic changes; Zagreb; demographic resources index

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