Geoadria, Vol. 25 No. 2, 2020.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.15291/geoadria.3038
Geostrategic aspect of the Danubian-Adriatic orientation of the Croatian geographical space
Marinko Lozančić
; Croatian Defence Academy "Dr. Franjo Tuđman", Zagreb, Croatia
Slaven Zdilar
; Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Borna Fuerst-Bjeliš
orcid.org/0000-0002-6754-4884
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
An important feature of today's Croatian territory is its position at the historical junctions of Northern and Southern Europe, as well as Pannonia, i.e. the Danubian region and the Mediterranean. The determinants of Croatia as an Adriatic and Central European, i.e. Danube country, are the basis of the process of valorisation of its spatial advantages. The position on the Adriatic front and the Danube Basin backbone significantly determines the maritime and continental significance of the position of the Croatian area. The expansion of the gravitational Danube spatial zone of traffic and economic influence will certainly be contributed by the corridors that pass through Croatia and open the Danube Basin towards the Mediterranean on the Croatian Adriatic front - the geographical source of Croatian national power. The Danubian-Adriatic orientation is a condition in which the Adriatic-Ionian Road and Corridor X, as a link between Western Europe and the Black Sea and Middle East, make the area of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina a transit ring and an intersection at the gates of Southeast Europe. Thus, the Republic of Croatia, as a member of NATO and the EU, is an important factor in geographical and transport integration, but also in the security and geopolitical stabilization of neighbouring countries in Southeast Europe. Serbia's latest geographical and traffic projects integrated into regional transport projects under Russian-Turkish geopolitical influence make the Baltic-Adriatic-Black Sea zone sensitive security wise, and push the territory of the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina into geographical and traffic regional shadow and marginalization and directly affect their overall development and security.
Keywords
Republic of Croatia; Danubian-Adriatic orientation; geostrategy; geopolitics; development axes; transport corridors; national strength (power); Baltic-Adriatic; Adriatic-Ionian Road; corridor X; Adriatic front
Hrčak ID:
248752
URI
Publication date:
26.12.2020.
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