DYNAMICS OF THE TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE OF THE ETHNIC SPACE OF CROATIA IN THE POST-SOCIALIST PERIOD

Abstract

Croatia is an example of a country that changed its status from a multinational republic to a mono-ethnic state within a short period of time. Significant changes in the country's ethnic space were the result of forced migrations of the population during the Serbo-Croatian armed conflict of 1991–1995. The aim of the article is to identify the features of the dynamics of the territorial structure of Croatia’s ethnic space over two periods: from 1991 to 2001 and from 2001 to 2021. The novelty of the study lies in the use of a cartographic methodology that allows structuring the ethnic space according to the degree of homogeneity/heterogeneity of its constituent territorial cells, as well as analyzing its dynamics in the intercensal periods. In general, the ethnic space of Croatia was characterized by increasing homogeneity during both periods, although the opposite trend was noted in a number of territorial cells. A decrease in ethnic homogeneity in the 1990s occurred in communities where Serbs constituted the majority in 1991. In 1995, a significant portion of Serbs left these territories, which led to an increase in the share of Croats. For the period of 2001–2021, we have also identified several areas with a decrease in homogeneity, these mainly located in the central part of the country and Dalmatia. But in this case the reason was a decrease in the share of Croats. The increase in ethnic heterogeneity occurred, firstly, as a result of a more active, compared to other peoples, departure of Croats to work in the countries of the European Union, secondly, due to the migration influx of representatives of other peoples, especially from European countries, and thirdly, due to a higher natural population growth of a number of peoples with a long history of residence in Croatia (Gypsies, Bosnians, Albanians, etc.).