Urban transformations of Zadar

Abstract

On the Croatian coast of the Adriatic the city of Zadar, after the time of the Italian rule between the two wars was back to its mother country, has seen a spontaneous and mainly inadequately organized regional development. A survey of the stages of development and demographic changes after World War II up to 1991 is the first part of a comprehensive study of the urban development of this city started by Lhe author. After the Italian border around Zadar had been abolished, on the geographically important and vital part of Croatian State functioning as a connecting link between the southern part of Croatia and its other parts, the city has experienced first a slow and then a rash urban and demographic development, which has been alleviated only in the recent decade, although it has remained outstanding among larger cities in Croatia. An analysis of some demographic indicators in some parts of the city and the suburbs shows marked differences, numerous problems and consequences. Their origins are mostly in uneven and badly planned urban and demographic development of some parts of the urban organism, and of the low-quality relization of the documents of the urban planning.