urban and regional planning in croatia

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Presentation

Urban and Regional Planning in Croatia

by Ksenija Banovac

Ecole Polytechnique in Tours, France

04/12/2023 2Ecole Polytechnique in Tours, France

Geographic profile


Demographic profile

4,4 million inhabitants (78.3 per km2)

The capital city: Zagreb (790 000)

Population and minorities:

◦ Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, Slovenes,

Hungarians, Czechs, Italians and

Albanians

Life expectancy: 71 (men), 78 (women)

Education: basic school diploma (22%),

secondary school diploma (47%), higher

education degrees (12%)


Economic profile

Nominal GDP: 45.4 billion EUR

GDP per capita: 10,246 EUR

Average monthly paid of gross earnings: 1,042 EUR

Population unemployed: 14%

Economic output: service sector (70% ),

industrial sector (20%), agriculture (6%) of GDP

Notable source of income: Tourism

Preparation for EU membership (joining 2013)


Political profile

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

Head of the state

Directly elected to 5-year term

Commander in chief of the

armed forces

Appointing Prime minister

Influence on foreign policy

GOVERNMENT

Headed by the Prime minister

and 2 deputy prime ministers

14 ministers in charge of

particular sectors

Proposing legislation and a

budget

Execution of laws

Guiding the foreign and internal

policies

PARLIAMENT

Legislative body

100-160 members

Elected by popular vote to 4-year

term

2 largest political parties:

Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)

and Social Democratic Party of

Croatia (SDP)

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Interesting comparison

CROATIA INDIA

Area: 56,594 km2

Population: 4.4 million

Density: 78.3 /km2

GDP: 45.4 billion EUR

Median age: 39

Area: 3,287,263 km2

Population: 1.2 billion

Density: 365.5 /km2

GDP: 1.1 trillion EUR

Median age: 25


Croatia is 58x smaller in area, 275x smaller in number of inhabitants, 24x poorer and 14 years older than India

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CROATIA USA

Area: 56,594 km2


Density: 78.3 /km2


Median age: 39

Area: 9,826,675 km2


Density: 33.7 /km2


Median age: 37


Croatia is 173x smaller in area, 70x smaller in number of inhabitants, 238x poorer and 2 years older than USA

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CROATIA FRANCE

Area: 56,594 km2


Density: 78.3 /km2


Median age: 39

Area: 674,843 km2


Density: 116/km2


Median age: 39


Croatia is 12x smaller in area, 15x smaller in number of inhabitants, 40x poorer and the same age as France


Administrative division

Total 555 units of local

government:

• 429 municipalities

• 126 cities

• 20 counties + the city of Zagreb

Representative body:

◦ Municipal councils, city councils,

county assemblies

Executive body:

◦ Municipality’s mayor, city mayor and

county prefect


Administrative division

Municipalities and cities perform:

• Urban development and housing

• Spatial and urban planning,

• Municipal economy,

• Childcare, social welfare, education, culture,

sport,

• Environment, civil and consumer protection,

• Traffic, roads, construction permits

Counties cover:

◦ Education, healthcare, culture institutions

◦ Spatial and urban planning

◦ Economic development, infrastructure

◦ Construction and local permits

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Urbanism and Development

Physical Planning Regional Development

Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction: administrative tasks related to physical planning and coordination of regional physical development

Spatial Planning Council: monitors and proposes processes in space and physical plans

Institute for Physical Planning: expert and analytical tasks in the field of physical planning

Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management: balancing the regional development and reducing regional disparities

Directorate for Integrated Regional Development

Administration for Regional and Local Infrastructure: All aiming at planning, implementing and evaluating programs for the development of local governments, county and wider region


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Physical Planning and Building Act (2007)

Regional Development Act (2009)

Regional Development Strategy (period 2011-2013)

Sustainable Development Strategy (2009)

Physical Planning Strategy (1997)

Physical Planning Programme (1999)


Legislation and Strategies

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Economic reform

Social reform

Reform of judiciary system


Challenges in front of Croatia

The most problematic factors are

inefficient government bureaucracy,

tax rates and regulation, corruption

and access to financing.

Croatia will have to increase the

production and export whilst cutting

total public spending, growing

national debt.

Further restructuring of companies is

necessary as well as the improvements

in general business conditions.

Particular concern is the corruption in

both public and private sector,

inefficient public administration

(land ownership).

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SOPNICA-JELKOVEC RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, ZAGREB

New residential district currently under construction

For 10,000 persons

Previously a pig farm that has been reconstructed into a new district

All amenities needed to ensure normal life:

◦ Improved water supply and drainage facilities

◦ Transport infrastructure

◦ Residential buildings and lots of green areas

◦ Public amenities such as kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, sport

areas


Example: Urban revitalization



District Sopnica-Jelkovec, view from the air


Example: Urban revitalizationPlanning of the District Sopnica-Jelkovec (Zagreb)

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Before

After


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Thank you!


urban and regional planning in croatia

Technology

km2 area

km2 population

eur gdp

km2 density

physical planning strategy

x smaller

eur median age

physical planning programme