Geoadria is an Open Access scientific journal that primarily publishes research results on the Croatian littoral area and Croatia in general, as well as research results from various geographic and geography-related scientific disciplines focusing on the Adriatic area, the Mediterranean, and Europe. The journal welcomes papers on any topic related to the interactions between the physical and human components of the environment, employing theoretical, methodological, or applied approaches. We particularly encourage the publication of results obtained through geospatial tools and methods, as well as those that build upon previously published research in Geoadria. Editor-in-Chief: Nina Lončar, Department of Geography, University of Zadar, Croatia ISSN (Print): 1331-2294 ISSN (Online): 1848-9710
Department of Geography, University of Zadar; Croatian Geographical Society - Zadar
Full-text papers can be used for personal or educational purposes only. Authors' and publisher's copyrights must be acknowledged.
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Department of Geography Chronicle, University of Zadar, 2024/2025
Geoadria is an Open Access scientific journal that primarily publishes research results on the Croatian littoral area and Croatia in general, as well as research results from various geographic and geography-related scientific disciplines focusing on the Adriatic area, the Mediterranean, and Europe. The journal welcomes papers on any topic related to the interactions between the physical and human components of the environment, employing theoretical, methodological, or applied approaches. We particularly encourage the publication of results obtained through geospatial tools and methods, as well as those that build upon previously published research in Geoadria.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Applications of behavioural sciences in tourism: spatial insights and policy considerations from Croatian coastal cities
The tourism industry, as measured by international tourist arrivals, has experienced continuous growth over recent decades. According to the Tourism Towards 2030 – Global Overview report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), this trend is expected to continue, with international arrivals projected to increase by 3.3% annually. This steady growth calls for comprehensive public policies that ensure the tourism sector can support long-term economic, environmental, and social sustainability, for both local communities and visitors. As countries experience rising numbers of foreign tourist arrivals, the challenge extends beyond infrastructure development. Effective adaptation also requires policies that align tourist behaviour with local customs and cultural values, placing particular emphasis on preserving cultural heritage and traditions. In this context, human behaviour plays a crucial role, especially in the protection of cultural identity. Behavioural economics offers valuable insights into tourist decision making and preferences, providing a foundation for designing policy measures that promote sustainable and respectful visitor behaviour. Integrating behavioural science into tourism research can thus support the development of effective, sustainable solutions. This paper explores how behavioural science is incorporated into local tourism policies aimed at promoting sustainable behaviour. Specifically, it examines the implementation and perceived effectiveness of such policies, as well as tourist responses. The analysis is based on in-depth interviews (n=8) with policymakers in four coastal Croatian cities: Zadar, Šibenik, Split, and Dubrovnik. Interviewees include heads of local communal departments and presidents of local tourist boards. The study highlights the public policies currently employed to influence tourist behaviour in ways that respect local customs and cultural heritage. Ultimately, the findings contribute to a broader understanding of how behavioural insights can be applied to support sustainable tourism practices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Izidora Marković Vukadin, Snježana Boranić-Živoder, Nora Mustać https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Wildfires as incidences of ecological crime: A comprehensive examination of the wildfires in İzmir city-region between 25 June and 5 July 2025
The wildfires that occurred in İzmir city-region between 25 June and 5 July, 2025, are particularly noteworthy due to their media coverage. The aim of this paper is to contextualize these wildfires by adopting a socio-ecological perspective that categorizes the role of humans at different levels. It also develops a framework to present the damage they cause, together with their ignition points, while considering the crime dimension of each wildfire. For this purpose, each wildfire is contextualized with the support of not o nly remote sensing (RS) data providing the probable ignition points and exposing the damage caused by the wildfires in terms of total area burned, but also the news revealed in the media facilitating the elucidation of crime dimension of the wildfires. In terms of RS data, while Sentinel 2 data is used for the delineation of wildfire zones via ΔNBR, MODIS and VIIRS data is used for the specification of ignition points and the delimitation of fire isochrones. The delimitation of the wildfire zones exposed that a total of 29,612.73 ha was burned in İzmir city-region during the period studied. The majority of the wildfires whose causes are known stem from urban activities and the problems with the electricity transmission infrastructure are particularly responsible for 25% of all wildfire incidences. Overall, the paper reveals that co-employment of RS data with the news exposed in the media, on the one hand, provides stronger evidence about the ignition location and causes of the wildfires to unveil the suspects, and on the other hand, makes it possible to track the spread direction of each wildfire so that some precautions can be taken in both management of forest areas and spatial planning for preve ntion of similar kinds of incidences in the future. What is particularly evident from this inquiry into the contextualization of wildfire incidences and their crime dimension is that without a shift to a biophilic ontology it is not possible to tame the Anthropocene.
Copyright (c) 2026 Burak Beyhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Spatial variation of (un)reliability in migration data as Schrödinger’s cat of demographic statistics in Croatia
Numerous empirical findings suggest that migration data published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics may lack reliability, particularly in underestimating the scale of emigration following Croatia’s accession to the European Union. Most evidence is based on comparisons between Croatian official data and those from receiving countries, indicating that Croatian statistics may systematically underestimate emigration trends. This paper considers the spatial dimension of (un)reliability in Croatian migration statistics. The analysis examines the differences in net migration rates between official statistics and vital-statistical method data across regional and local levels from 2011 to 2021. For both datasets, the average annual net migration rate was calculated, and the difference between them – used as the observed variable – was analysed using descriptive statistics and spatial analysis methods. The methodological framework enabled an assessment of the reliability of both migration and broader demographic data at lower spatial scales. Results show considerable spatial variation in data quality. Overestimation of net migration in official data, previously identified at the national level, is also observable at the county level. At the local level, it remains a dominant pattern, though its intensity varies across space. Around half of local units show acceptable levels of data reliability, while in one-quarter to one-third of cases, data quality remains questionable. Coastal areas and large cities stand out for lower reliability, largely due to intense migration dynamics, a high share of unregistered movements, and discrepancies between registered and actual residence – influenced by population behaviour. In some units, unreliable data reflect underestimated migration flows, pointing to potential weaknesses in census data as well. Findings offer a tool for identifying sources of data unreliability and determining whether local population figures are overestimated or underestimated. They also provide institutions with a framework for improving data collection systems and correcting records in areas of low reliability.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tomislav Belić, Roko Mišetić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Exploring patterns of riparian vegetation assemblages to reveal human-induced landscape change along southern semi-arid Mediterranean streams
This study investigates the composition and ecological structure of riparian vegetation in southern Mediterranean semi-arid streams (north-eastern Algeria) to test how environmental filtering and anthropogenic pressures shape community assemblages. Vegetation relevé plots and a combination of landscape metrics have been used to quantify the spatial configuration and express the ecological condition of these riparian areas. Multivariate statistical process including Jaccard’s distances matrix, hierarchical clustering procedures, Distance-based Linear Models (DistLM), and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) were used to unveil the ecological status of these areas. We have identified a total of 25 woody plants (trees and shrubs) distributed in two dissimilar assemblages (SIMPROF test) promoted mainly by topographical variables, proximity to human activities, damming and aridity intensity, which explained 44.4% of total variance in woody composition according to DistLM ordination. Group 1, undisturbed landscape dominated (IndVal > 0.7, p < 0.001) by natural riparian plants such as Populus alba (stat = 0.874), Cytisus purgans (0.788), Juniperus oxycedrus (0.788), and Rubus ulmifolius (0.766), mainly align with sites located at mid to high altitudes, further from human settlements, and in undammed streams. Group 2, a human induced landscape dominated by Rhus tripartita, and associated with lower altitudes, close proximity to human development, and the presence of dams. Our best‐supported GLM showed that woody species richness increased at sites with permanent stream flow (β = 0.33, p = 0.01) and higher elevation (β = 0.25, p = 0.009), but declined in riparian zones affected by damming structures. The significant effect of proximity to human habitation on species composition, but not on species richness (not retained in the best model), indicating that the complementary use of diversity metrics (species richness and composition) is crucial to properly capture the effects of human disturbance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lamir Benchaiba, Ali Elafri, Salah Telailia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Kronika Odjela za geografiju Sveučilišta u Zadru 2023./2024
Introduction to thematic issue: Spatializing sedimentations and erosions of time in urban landscapes
The articles in this thematic issue are the product of research on ‘(Re)Constructing Religioscapes as Competing Territorial Claims in Post-War Bosnia and Herzegovina,’ funded by the National Science Foundation (USA). The project was developed from earlier comparative and interdisciplinary research that had led to the development of a model of ‘Antagonistic Tolerance’ (AT) to understand relations over multiple generations between members of religiously-based heritage communities who lived intermingled but rarely intermarrying (Hayden et al., 2016).
Copyright (c) 2025 Mario Katić, Robert Hayden https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Analysis of anthropogenic impact on morphological changes of beaches in Podgora (Central Adriatic, Croatia)
Coastal areas are subject to strong geomorphological changes, making beaches among the most vulnerable coastal landforms. Due to increasing pressure from tourism and urbanisation, the stability of beaches is often affected by anthropogenic interventions including sediment nourishment and the construction of coastal structures. This paper analyses the long-term morphological changes (over the last 72 years) on three beaches in the Podgora area: Minerva, Plišivac, and Frara, with the aim of quantifying the impact of anthropogenic activities on shoreline dynamics and beach area. The methods used include the analysis of archival aerial photographs and satellite images (1951–2023), as well as drone images from 2022 and 2023. The images were processed and analysed using ArcGIS Pro software. The results show that the anthropogenically reshaped beaches (Minerva and Plišivac) are prone to significant surface fluctuations and shoreline shifts, while the natural Frara beach has more stable morphodynamics. Plišivac and Minerva expanded through nourishment interventions, which periodically increased their surface area by about 1,500 m² and 3,000 m², respectively, but at the same time required continuous maintenance due to pronounced erosion processes. The analysis reveals that anthropogenic interventions can have counterproductive effects by increasing sediment instability and the need for frequent care. Sustainable coastal management should consider detailed geomorphological analyses to reduce the need for repeated interventions and ensure the long-term preservation of beaches.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marin Mićunović, Lana Vukelić, Sanja Faivre https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Solo female travel – experiences and spatial practices of female travellers
The aim of this paper is to examine the key aspects of solo female travel highlighted in previous scientific research, with a particular focus on the motivations of solo female travellers, the relationship between gender and space, limitations and safety concerns, and strategies for mitigating risks. The analysis draws on relevant academic literature from the fields of tourism, gender studies, and feminist geography. Although motivations for solo travel are often linked to personal development, empowerment, and the desire to explore new places, female travellers face numerous spatial and social constraints. In response to these challenges, they develop various coping strategies aimed at resisting fear and gender stereotypes. However, there is a noticeable lack of research focused on analysing the perception of tourist destinations as either desirable and safe or undesirable and unsafe for solo female travellers, as well as on identifying the key factors that shape these perceptions. For a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, it is important to include sociodemographic data, along with the spatial context, which opens up opportunities for further research from geographical perspectives. Future studies may contribute to shaping a tourism offer that better meets the needs and ensures the safety of solo female travellers.
Copyright (c) 2026 Leona Matotek, Lana Slavuj Borčić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Sephardic heritage in Croatia. Visitors profile in Split and Dubrovnik
Sephardic heritage represents the heritage of the Jewish community expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492, which then largely dispersed across the Mediterranean. In Croatia, Sephardic Jews settled in Split and Dubrovnik, where they participated in the social, economic and cultural progress of these cities. Today, these communities still exist, and their heritage has been preserved. Cemeteries and synagogues are functional, but not active. The development of tourism in Split and Dubrovnik allows Sephardic heritage to be actively included in the tourism supply of the cities. The objective of the research is to determine the profile of visitors to Sephardic heritage sites and their satisfaction with the sites visited in Split and Dubrovnik. For this purpose, a survey was conducted among visitors to the Jewish cemetery in Split and the synagogue in Dubrovnik. The research was conducted in 2022 and 2023 on a sample of 264 visitors. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) methods were used. In addition to the multivariate analysis of variance, additional analyses using the chi-square test were conducted. The results showed that visitors to Sephardic heritage sites are typical cultural tourists, although there are differences between visitors in Split and Dubrovnik, which is attributed to the location of the sites in the city.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anita Fiket, Vuk Tvrtko Opačić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tourism gentrification: a literature review and reflections on the Croatian context
The spatial structure of modern cities is changing rapidly, and one of the most important processes contributing to this is gentrification. Gentrification was first described and explained by Ruth Glass in 1964 using the example of a working-class neighborhoods in London. Today, gentrification is a planetary phenomenon with numerous individual causes. It is assumed that the logic of market activities in space, which is inherent to the capitalist economic system, is the main driving force behind gentrification. In recent decades, gentrification has been increasingly associated with the growing role and significance of tourism. Therefore, the emergence of tourism gentrification is discussed. The development of tourism since the late 2000s has had a negative impact on the local community, exerting pressure on the real estate and long-term rental markets and leading to various forms of displacement. These are the main manifestations of tourism gentrification. The aim of this article is to present the development and basic characteristics of gentrification and the resulting tourist gentrification based on a review and critical presentation of foreign and domestic empirical and survey research. The main goal is to introduce the concept of (tourism) gentrification to the wider scientific community in Croatia, because although tourism is an important economic sector, little research has been published on it so far.
Copyright (c) 2025 Teodor Macan, Vedran Prelogović https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Monuments in Mostar as markers of the symbolic border and post-war memorialization
This article argues that monuments in Mostar have functioned as markers of symbolic borders and competing memorializations after abrupt changes in the political orders of the polities of which Mostar has been a part. In that sense, monuments in Mostar can be seen as manifestations of sedimentation and erosion of communities in the urban zone. For analytical purposes, the concept of monument is defined as an object that commemorates a specific event. Almost all of the monuments in Mostar can be traced according to their function, while shape and design are secondary. Four historical periods in which larger changes to ethno-religious dominance in the political and social systems took place are analyzed regarding memorialization of urban space in Mostar. These are Austro-Hungarian rule, the period during the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes / Yugoslavia, that of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the post-socialist era in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1992. Research results show how material structures, such as monuments, tell identity-based stories about the intertemporal relations of communities in Mostar, within the frameworks the wider historical and contemporary social contexts in which members of these communities have interacted.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bogdan Dražeta https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Palimpsesting martyrs: Graves of shahids within the sedimentations and erosions of time in Banja Luka and Zenica
In this paper I analyse two šehid turbe (mausolea) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one located in Banja Luka and the other in Zenica. I present and interpret how these cultural sediments, with their religious and political connotations, narratives and symbols, eroded over time, re-interpreted and transformed, and how top-down political and social contexts influenced the local micro-contexts of the turbe. I analyse as palimpsest processes the ways in which cultural sedimentations and erosions of sacred religious graves are affected by the changes in political, religious and national dominance in the local context, and thus how within these changes the identity of a site may erode, or be displaced by new sediments. This process both reflects and embodies the spatial dimension of urban layers that change the identification of particular parts of the city, but it also reflects the broader changes in an urban landscape. I argue that changes and/or continuation of the political dominance of ethno-religious and/or national communities, can have a direct impact on interpretations and/or re-interpretations of particular sites within the urban context, in this case religious sacred graves. This influence can work as a palimpsest, covering the former layer so that it can change the identity of a site completely, down to the level of the toponym and its practical and symbolic functions and meanings; or, depending on the local scenarios, leaving the older layer visible, but making it hard to detect which layer is older.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mario Katić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pieces of contested memories: The history of monuments in Banja Luka
In the last century and a half, the city of Banja Luka has passed through the existence of six different states that came and left in dramatic, paradigm altering shifts. The historical breaks which occurred in 1878, 1918, 1941, 1945 and 1990 were manifested as deep discontinuities. In this paper, we present a history of monuments and memorial markers in Banja Luka, with the following aims: to reconstruct the memory politics of states and local actors as they have changed through time; to identify the material remains of mnemonic practices; and, to determine their fates after the states that placed them were removed from the historic arena. This work does not represent a thorough list of each monument or their full typology. Rather, it examines the main memorial markers, with additional focus on those monuments which are deemed important, such as the Monument to the Fallen of Krajina (1961), including their meaning and their subsequent use. While a detailed history of monuments and memorial practices spans from 1880 to 1990, the current, post–socialist era is reviewed in the form of an epilogue, with attention on the dominant mnemonic paradigm.
Copyright (c) 2025 Vladan Vukliš https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Perception of tourism and its impacts on small Adriatic islands – case studies of Zlarin and Krapanj, Croatia
Tourism on the small Croatian islands began to develop somewhat later than on the mainland, in parallel with intensive depopulation. The development of tourism was largely endogenous, driven by private initiatives and based on private accommodation, with few hotels and camps. Due to the specific conditions in small island communities and their economic systems, the aim of the study is to determine the degree of economic dependence of the local population on tourism and to investigate the perception of tourism and its spatial impact on small Croatian islands. The case studies deal with Zlarin and Krapanj in Šibenik archipelago, which are relatively close to the mainland and well connected to the regional centre Šibenik. The research was conducted using desk-based methods and a field study that included a questionnaire survey of the local population who reside there year-round, seasonally or occasionally. The results show that despite the perceived strong spatial impact of tourism on the islands (environmental, economic and socio-cultural), residents are positive about tourism and its benefits and would like to see its further growth in the future.
spatial impacts of tourism, perception of local population, small islands, Croatia, Mediterranean
Copyright (c) 2025 Dubravka Spevec, Nevena Grabovac, Ivan Šulc https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Patterns of sedimentation and erosion of sacral architecture and secular memorials in Mostar, Banja Luka and Zenica
This article analyses evolving patterns of sedimentation and erosion of sacral and memorial structures in three cities that were first urbanized in the early 16th century by the Ottoman conquerors of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since that time, society has been grounded on interactions between Muslims (mainly Sunni), Christians of varying denominations and Jews, and from 1945 until 1990, state-empowered secularists. We first analyse the formation of the towns during Ottoman rule, to enable understanding developments after the Ottomans lost power, and Islam was no longer the dominant religion. Further, the relative isolation of Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to other locations in Ottoman Empire enable us to analyse an ideal structure of Ottoman urban development. We then address the ways in which non-Muslim religious or atheist structures were manifested in new processes of sedimentation and erosion. Historical maps of the cities served as the basis for the analysis of patterns of sedimentation and erosion of sacral architecture and secular memorials. After selecting reference years, data acquisition on ‘erosion’ and ‘sedimentation’ of religious buildings were collected through field research, interviews, literature analysis and internet sources. In all three cities, development of the religioscapes has reflected changing patterns of dominance by Muslims, Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. When state secularism was dominant under socialism, the religioscapes of all communities were eroded and new religious sedimentations were impeded. Post-socialism, political and social actors have fostered re-sedimentations of eroded religioscapes, and new sedimentations. The post-socialist polities within Bosnia and Herzegovina (Entities and the cantons within the FBH), while officially secular, have favored the religion of the locally dominant community.
Copyright (c) 2025 Robert Hayden, Ante Šiljeg, Ivan Marić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Characteristics and motivational patterns of tourist trips to the Croatian region Gorska Hrvatska
Despite its attractiveness and potential for tourism valorisation, Gorska Hrvatska (Mountainous Croatia) is currently one of the less-developed tourist regions in Croatia, making it necessary to work towards the better promotion and visibility of the region’s tourism supply and attracting potential tourists. A prerequisite for high-quality and sustainable management of further tourism development is understanding the motivational patterns and characteristics of targeted consumer segments to create effective tourism development strategies for the region. Therefore, the main research objective is to identify the general characteristics of tourist trips and motivational patterns of tourists visiting Gorska Hrvatska, to determine visitor profiles but also to further profile the tourist region and its main tourist destinations. Additionally, specific objectives include exploring the differences between the three analysed destinations – the municipality of Fužine, the town of Otočac, and the municipality of Rakovica, as well as the link between the specific motivation of tourists for visiting Gorska Hrvatska and their general travel preferences. The stated objectives were achieved through a direct survey conducted in the three above-mentioned local self-government units, selected as case studies. In addition to descriptive statistics, the one-way ANOVA and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to analyse the data collected. The results confirmed that natural heritage is a key motivating factor attracting tourists to Gorska Hrvatska. In addition to a strong inclination towards natural heritage and leisure, tourists generally share similar preferences regarding characteristics of tourist trips and other motivating factors for visiting the region. Consequently, it is concluded that stronger profiling of tourist destinations has not yet occurred, as illustrated by three case studies that ultimately share more similarities than differences. Nevertheless, the analysis indicates some specific differences between them, which, although not significant, suggest the possible existence of certain tourist subtypes in the region that should be further examined.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ivana Žafran, Vuk Tvrtko Opačić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Conflict of geopolitical discourse illustrated by the example of the geographical name of Lokrum island
The conflict of geopolitical discourse is illustrated through the example of various geographical names of Lokrum Island on early modern nautical charts and in navigation guides. Analyzing the geopolitical dynamics between the Venetian Republic and the Dubrovnik Republic, the research highlights how geographical names (toponyms) reflect and influence territorial ambitions and political narratives. The methodological approach encompasses a comparative qualitative analysis of historical cartographic sources and navigation guides, using an interdisciplinary approach that includes contemporary research paradigms such as border studies, imagology, cultural geography, and geopolitical discourse to investigate the use of toponyms in the context of various factors such as political ideology and cartographic tradition. The results reveal that naming Lokrum Island with multiple names, such as lacroma, croma and similar names, and Scoglio di San Marco, served as a tool for asserting dominance and shaping political discourse. Special attention is given to toponyms as political and cultural hegemony instruments, demonstrating how powerful states used cartography to justify their territorial claims. The analysis shows that cartographic representations not only reflect but also actively participate in the construction and perpetuation of ideological narratives. This research contributes to a broader understanding of how cartography and toponymy function as instruments within geopolitical discourse, providing new insights into geopolitical processes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Julijan Sutlović https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Through archival and field research in the central Bosnian industrial city of Zenica, a comprehensive list of monuments constructed between 1878 and 2023 has been established. Additionally, the study identified all of the changes affecting these monuments over the specified period, including whether they have been preserved, wandered off, completely disappeared, or been destroyed. The research also examined how these monuments were perceived in different historical periods, what was their role in constructing ideological narratives, and what was their function in hosting commemorative gatherings. Given the large number of identified monuments and their wide spatial distribution, the study focused on four specific locations that have undergone sedimentary and erosive processes over time, sometimes occurring simultaneously. Special emphasis was placed on a comparative analysis of two case studies with different outcomes to contribute to understanding why some monuments endure while others vanish. By combining historical and ethnographic research methods, the study provided an interpretation of the relationships between monuments and space, places and commemorative practices, highlighting the importance of a community's identification with symbols and narratives materialized in the form of monuments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mirza Džananović https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Kronika Odjela za geografiju Sveučilišta u Zadru 2022./2023.
Copyright (c) 2024 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
U sjećanje: Akademik Dragutin Feletar obilježio više od pola stoljeća razvoja suvremene hrvatske geografije
Copyright (c) 2024 Damir Magaš https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Spatial analysis of the significance and role of the fort Imperial during the defence of Dubrovnik in the 1991 Croatian Homeland War
In addition to the defensive ring around the old town of Dubrovnik, fortifications like fortresses and walls were erected between the 14th and 19th centuries in strategically vital locations of the then-Republic of Ragusa. We conducted a military geography analysis of battleground around Dubrovnik during the Croatian Homeland War. OAKOC procedure and GIS tolls were used to reconstruct the impact of terrain and employed military tactics during the military operations of 1991. The military-geographical elements were examined to ascertain the significance and role of the Imperial Fortress in the successful defence of Dubrovnik, as well as the failure of the attackers to execute their plans. The analysis uncovered several critical factors for the successful defence. Firstly, there was only one access route for attackers to reach the Imperial Fortress, greatly favouring the defence. Secondly, the fortress's placement facilitated excellent surveillance of both friendly and hostile forces. Thirdly, logistical support relied on a single footpath leading directly to the heart of Dubrovnik, concealed from the attackers' view, ensuring that defenders were never without supplies. Holding the Srđ hill with the Imperial fortress in the hands of the defenders proved to be a key and decisive terrain during the siege of Dubrovnik.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hrvoje Heštera, Dalibor Gernhardt, Marko Zečević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Vinko Paletin and his Contribution to Cartography
This paper explores Vinko Paletin’s contribution to cartography. It can be divided into three areas: maritime affairs and navigation, globe production, and map production. Vinko Paletin as a sailor has been written about by others, so in this paper we only look at this briefly. In this article, we provide information about his translation of The Art of Navigation (L’arte del navegar) based on copies of that book kept in the National and University Library in Zagreb, the State Archives in Zadar and some other libraries outside Croatia. In addition to copies of the covers and Paletin’s foreword, we present the contents of that handbook with special reference to the third chapter, which deals with nautical charts. The literature mentions three globes which have been attributed to Paletin. Two are certainly not his work, and there is almost no information about the third. Perhaps the problem lies in the Italian word mappamondi, which may mean either a globe or a map of the world. The paper examines in detail Paletin’s 1551 map of Spain and presents several other which preceded it. Finally, we assess the value of Paletin’s map, which served many cartographers as a model and template for their own maps of Spain.
Copyright (c) 2024 Miljenko Lapaine https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
I see good Postira: benefits and threats to the island community on Brač
Many settlements on the Croatian coast, especially the smaller ones, have developed in recent decades mainly due to the tourism industry, which brings numerous advantages, but also disadvantages. However, this does not have to be the case and is not always the case. To show an example of a different, balanced development, the municipality of Postira was chosen, which has a long tradition of a diversified economy based on its development in three branches - agriculture (olive growing), industry (Sardina fish factory) and the omnipresent tourism. The aim of the research is to identify benefits and developmental threats through the analysis of the attitudes and opinions of the local population and stakeholders. The research results were obtained through semi-structured interviews, with questions divided into six sections derived from contextualizing the concept of insularity in the specificities of the Croatian islands: lifestyle, transportation, projects, economy youth and future. Although the research confirmed the existence of a diversified and resilient economy that provides the inhabitants of Postira with a high level of employment opportunities as well as a high level of quality of life, problems such as the lack of leisure activities and the threat to the balance of the existing economic structure due to the new hotel and the increase in private accommodation units were also identified. This paper deals with the current living situation in the municipal settlements of Postira and Dol, and also points out the dangers and opportunities that the population is yet to encounter, and presents its predominantly optimistic view of the future.
Insularity, rurality, development perspectives, diversified economy, interview, Island of Brač
Copyright (c) 2025 Andrija Mišetić, Aleksandar Lukić https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Zaljubljenik u domovinu i geografiju – kratki prikaz znanstvenih, nastavnih i institucijskih doprinosa professora emeritusa Damira Magaša u prigodi 70. obljetnice života
Damir Magaš rođen je u Metkoviću 15. siječnja 1953.
Copyright (c) 2023 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mortality trends in Croatia in the first two decades of the 21st century
Negative demographic trends in Croatia (natural decrease, negative net migration and population aging) are increasingly influencing socio-economic development of the country. Already in early 21st century, the long term decrease of live births and the increase of deaths were recognized as destabilizing factors of population development in Croatia. After the Croatian accession to the EU, the concerns regarding future demographic development of the country raised even more due to intensive emigration to other EU countries, which coincided with the historically low birth rates and high death rates. The focus of this paper is on mortality trends in Croatia in the first two decades of the 21st century. In this period, mortality in Croatia was influenced by different socio-economic, demographic, and epidemiological factors. Given the lack of recent papers dealing with mortality in Croatia, the main aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the changes in selected mortality indicators and contribute to the discussion on recent mortality trends in Croatia. The results of this research indicate that Croatia experienced some positive changes regarding mortality (increase of life expectancy at birth and decrease of infant mortality rates in the first period, in particular), but, some of the trends are not favourable, particularly the changes in the causes of death. Although improvements were observed regarding the share of deaths caused by the diseases of the circulatory system, there was a notable increase in deaths caused by the endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases which can be attributed to the unhealthy lifestyle and various behavioural factors.
Recognisability and potential of traditional and artistic crafts as heritage of the city of Zagreb
The topic of this research is crafts in the city of Zagreb, with special emphasis on traditional and artistic crafts. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the extent to which they are recognizable by the citizens of Zagreb, as well as to emphasize their potential for the development of the cultural and creative tourism. The research was conducted in two stages in 2021. The first stage consisted in the mapping of traditional and artistic craft businesses and vacant commercial property in the city centre, and the second stage included an online questionnaire survey on a purposive sample of 179 citizens of Zagreb. In order to understand the topic of research better, additional four semi-structured interviews with selected traditional and artistic craftspeople were conducted. Research shows that the majority of respondents consider traditional crafts an important part of Zagreb’s cultural identity. Furthermore, the majority of respondents believe that traditional craft businesses and their products are not promoted enough in public. Crafts represent valuable tangible and intangible heritage of the City of Zagreb and have a potential for the development of cultural tourism of Zagreb. In this sense, and following the example of similar tourist tours in the world, a craft tour could be designed based on the work of traditional and artistic craftsmen of Zagreb, with the possibility of visiting their workshops and participating in the process of making products or their parts. This would be in line with the increasing demand and desire of modern tourists to be active participants and co-creators of experience rather than just be observers of the heritage.