Evolution of urbanisation and metropolitan development in Romania

Abstract

The study summarises the main features of the urban structure of Romania, with a special focus on metropolitan development. Romanian settlement development since the regime change has been essentially urban-focused. Concentrated social, economic and environmental problems are identified at the urban level, which have facilitated the regional division and the designation of regional centres. These specific development areas have identified urban and rural problems for which coherent solutions have been sought. Urban areas of attraction are considered subordinate to the centre, with the exception of tourist destinations, where the geographical location of natural, historical, architectural or artistic assets opens up development opportunities for rural areas independently of cities. The Romanian system provides a starting point for further reflection on the spatial categories of Hungarian spatial development, as it considers the urban-rural functional area as the basic unit of development policy and does not rigidly adhere to the existing administrative structure. The paper presents a specific example of a regional centre, the gateway cities, as a changing development path.