Socio-economic characteristics as limiting factors of regional development. The case of Kolubara district, Republic of Serbia

Abstract

© 2018, Editura Academiei Romane. All rights reserved. One of the essential preconditions for the regional development of an area is a positive demographic, economic and development of the settlement network. Positive population trends, positive net migration and the share of young, educated and active population contributes to the good demographics of the area, thereby facilitating its development. Sustainable agriculture and planning, the maintenance of existing industries and the construction of new and modern industrial facilities contribute to regional development. Population mobility and the transport of goods are greatly facilitated by the existence of an adequate transport infrastructure, which is closely linked to regional development. A well-developed network of settlements is important for the quality of life of residents, and proximity to big centers can be a great advantage, but in some cases can also be a disadvantage. In order to highlight the importance of socio-geographical features of regional development a survey was conducted among residents of Kolubara District. This paper consists of two parts. The first part deals with the socio-economic characteristics of the Kolubara Region based on statistical data, and the second part presents the perception of the local population about socio-economic changes. The main instrument of the study was a closed type survey. The results showed that respondents perceived aging and population emigration as a big limiting factor for regional development. They also believe that the proximity of large urban centers influences the emigration of population and depopulation.