Anton Perpar

Development Potentials of Rural Areas – The Case of Slovenia

Rural areas in the European Union (27 member states) make up 91% of the territory and over 56% of the population (European Commission, 2008). They include a great variety of cultures, landscapes, natural environments, and economic activities that shape different rural identities. Farming and forestry remain crucial for land use and the management of natural resources in the EUs rural areas, and as a platform for economic diversification in rural communities. In Slovenia as well, rural areas represent a significant part of its space and society. Slovenia is one of the smallest European countries, sharing borders with Italy, Austria and Croatia. 2,050,189 people live in a land area of 20,273 km2, for an average population density of 101,1 inhabitants per km2 (January 1st 2011). In 2010, the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was 17,560€. Slovenia’s location between the Alps, the Dinaric mountains, the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian Plain is the reason for the countrys diverse climate: there is a continental climate in central Slovenia, an Alpine climate in the northwest, and a sub-Mediterranean climate in the coastal area and its hinterlands. Consequently, landscapes and agricultural production conditions are also diverse, as are the cultural identities of individual rural areas. Based on the 2002 population census, rural areas make up more than 90% of the territory and are inhabited by 58% of the total population (Perpar, 2007). The Slovenian countryside is highly heterogenous, distinguished by various natural conditions and obstacles, and diversified demographic, economic, and social structures (Perpar & Kovacic, 2002).

Koper: Beyond the Rural and Urban Paradigm

Koper is a historical mediaeval city dating from Venetian times and also a major port on the Adriatic Sea in southern Slovenia in the region known as Istria. It can be described as a national nerve centre due to its port and logistic role, which in turn also makes it one of the eight functional regional centres in Slovenia. As a regional nucleus, it influences economic, social and spatial development and is in turn perceived as a cultural centre and a focal point for the region. It is the smallest of the case studies by far, having an urban population of only 24,000 people (more in the municipality as a whole), although it presents some unique aspects not found in the other case studies.

Projections of future land use in the Municipality of Koper based on the MOLAND model

The Municipality of Koper is one of the case studies in the European research project PLUREL. The project is aimed at developing new strategies and tools for future land use planning and prediction. Some scenarios for possible future land use have been prepared and spatially defined, based upon different indicators and trends, using the MOLAND model. The model is based on spatial dynamics, a key variable being the land use and the state of each cell is its land use class (e.g. residential, industrial, commercial, forest, agricultural land etc.). Based on the developed storylines of the scenarios, the model simulates changes in future land use and spatially defines the changes.