Transformation of rural settlements of the City of Mostar in the second half of the twentieth century

Abstract

The paper analyses the transformation of rural settlements in the area of the City of Mostar. It covers all 56 settlements that are grouped according to the criteria of distance from the central urban settlement and the altitude at which they are located. Eight spatial regions of various sizes and characteristics are identified accordingly. Economic, socio-cultural, infrastructural and demographic criteria are included in further analysis. Economic and social structure of individual settlements is also established. Considering that the second half of the twentieth century was the period of industrial development and urbanisation, and thereby intensive processes of depopulation and deagrarisation of rural areas, the authors believe that it was during this period that the transformation was most intense.