Inland-coastal demographic transformations in a karst area: a case study of the surroundings of Krka National Park (Croatia)

Abstract

According to geographic possibilism, environment does not determine socio-economic development. However, the environment sets certain constraints and limitations for development. How do natural settings influence population dynamics? In this study, we examine this question using the example of Šibenik-Knin County, which includes Krka National Park (NP) with a GIS-based statistical approach. The following parameters represent natural factors: elevation, slope, distance from water, and proportion of karst areas. In addition, distance from Krka NP was also added as an independent semi-natural factor (despite the fact that it is a social construction). The dependent social parameters are population density for selected historical dates, population change, year of maximum population, natural increase, migration, and age index. The analysis units are the 199 settlements found in the county, and the 20 local administrative units (LAU2). The study period can be divided into five phases: from the first census in 1857 to 1921, there was a slow increase in most settlements; then a relatively constant phase up to 1961 (some settlements began shrinking in this period); a slow decrease until 1991; a rapid decrease during the next decade; and relative stabilisation to present day. These processes were also accompanied by significant inner and outer migrations. As for the relationships between natural and demographic factors, we found that although the coastal-inland area dichotomy is dominant in the study area, elevation has the highest correlation with most population parameters. However, distance from water is also significantly correlated with population change and migration in certain periods. In the inland areas, there are statistically significant differences between the demographic processes of fully-karstic and partially-karstic areas, while in the coastal zone, the karst effect is overshadowed by other social processes. The impact of Krka NP on the demographic characteristics of the surrounding settlements was statistically not detectable. Our final conclusion is that correlations between natural and population parameters are low or moderately strong but statistically significant in many cases, thus the basic principles of geographic possibilism are valid for the area.

Attitudes and preferences of visitors of Krka National Park, Croatia

“…This county is typically an aging and depopulating area (Lajić, I. and Mišetić, R. 2013;Mrđen, S. and Barić, D. 2016;Radeljak Kaufmann, P. 2016). 89 percent of the county is built up from wellkarstified limestones and dolomites (Telbisz, T. et al 2022). Within the county, one can observe sharply differing population processes between the coastal and the interior areas (Radeljak Kaufmann, P. 2016;Telbisz, T. et al 2022).…”

“…89 percent of the county is built up from wellkarstified limestones and dolomites (Telbisz, T. et al 2022). Within the county, one can observe sharply differing population processes between the coastal and the interior areas (Radeljak Kaufmann, P. 2016;Telbisz, T. et al 2022). The Krka National Park, founded in 1985, belongs to the inner, sparsely populated areas, and its elongated stretch of 109 km 2 can also be divided into two sharply different parts in terms of tourism.…”

“…The above issues related to national parks are examined from several perspectives in the framework of a research project aimed at exploring the specificities of karst national parks in selected areas of Central Europe. Karst terrains are often depopulated areas, at least in Europe (Pejnović, D. and Husanović-Pejnović, D. 2008;Telbisz, T. et al 2014Telbisz, T. et al , 2015Telbisz, T. et al , 2016Telbisz, T. et al , 2019Telbisz, T. et al , 2022, but due to their special natural features (caves, gorges, collapse sinkholes, stream sinks, etc. ), national parks are often found on them .…”

The system and spatial distribution of protected areas in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia and Croatia

“…In the above mentioned project, we primarily study the relationships among the different actors of the national park, the local population and tourism (Nestorová Dická, J. et al 2020;. With the help of historical demographic statistics, GIS analyses, interviews and questionnaires, we examine how the population and land use of the area and its surroundings have changed and how the protection of the area and the emergence of tourism have affected the lives and job opportunities of local residents (Telbisz, T. et al , 2021(Telbisz, T. et al , 2022b.…”