The hypothesis that the network
of central settlements in Croatia
is of oligocentric type the author
confirms through an analysis of
universal demographic indicators
for the fiv ecategories of central
settlements selected: republican
capital, macroregional centres,
regional centres, commune centres,
local centres. According to the
author, Zagreb grew too fast in
comparison with other centres and
that was the direct result of the
policy of rapid industrialization
and urbanization which neglected
the village and agriculture. Besides
Zagreb, the cities of Spi t and
Rijeka also expanded rapidly, and
so did those commune centres in
which industry developed.
The author pleads for a more
rational concept of urbanization
and industrialization which would
enable a polvcentric model of
central settlements. This would
not decrease the importance of
Zagreb and macroregional centres,
but would enable the higher
quality of their basic functions