The regions of Serbia include geographical and, to a lesser extent, traditional and historical areas. Geographical regions have no official status, though some of them serve as a basis for the second-level administrative divisions of Serbia, okrugs (districts of Serbia). Not being administratively defined, the boundaries of the regions are in many cases vague: they may overlap, and various geographers and publications may delineate them differently, not just in the sense of regions' extents, but also in the sense as to whether they form separate geographical entities or subsist as parts of other super-regions, etc.
For the most part, regions correspond to the valleys or to the watershed-areas of rivers and were simply named after them (some even a millennium ago), while mountain ridges and peaks often mark boundaries. In some cases, a defined region may refer only to the inhabited parts of the valleys (see župa).
Valleys and plains along the largest rivers are special cases. The Serbian language usually forms their names with the prefix po- (Sava – Posavina, Danube (Dunav) – Podunavlje, Tisa – Potisje, etc.). Considered geographical regions per se, they usually have very elongated shapes and cover large areas (Pomoravlje), sometimes spreading through several countries (Posavina, Potisje, Podrinje, etc.). For the most part they overlap with other, smaller regions established during history along their course, in most cases named after the tributaries of the main river (most notably, in the case of all three sections of Pomoravlje).
For the purpose of easier presentation in the tables, the territory of Serbia is roughly divisible into six geographical sections: northern, western, central, eastern, south-western and south. Thus the tables do not follow the political divisions. Kosovo declared independence in February 2008. Serbia and a number of UN member states have not recognised its independence, and the territory is disputed.
Northern Serbia
edit| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bačka | Novi Sad, Subotica | part of Vojvodina; partially in Hungary (Bácska) |
| Gornji Breg | Gornji Breg | sub-region of Bačka |
| Potisje | Bečej, Senta | sub-region of both Bačka and Banat |
| Šajkaška | Temerin, Žabalj | sub-region of Bačka |
| Telečka | Vrbas, Kula | sub-region of Bačka |
| Banat | Zrenjanin, Pančevo | part of Vojvodina; partially in Romania, Hungary (Bánság) and Central Serbia |
| Gornje Livade | sub-region of Banat | |
| Ilandžanski Rit | Ilandža, Lokve | sub-region of Banat |
| Pančevački Rit | Borča, Krnjača | sub-region of Banat; part of Central Serbia |
| Pomorišje | Novi Kneževac, Srpski Krstur | today considered sub-region of Banat; partially in Hungary and Romania |
| Repište | Knićanin | sub-region of Banat |
| Veliki Rit | north-west of Vršac | sub-region of Banat |
| Srem | Belgrade, Sremska Mitrovica | part of Vojvodina; partially in Central Serbia and Croatia (Srijem) |
| Crni Lug | Progar, Boljevci | sub-region of Podlužje |
| Kupinovski Kut | Kupinovo | sub-region of Podlužje |
| Podlužje | Jakovo, Hrtkovci | sub-region of Srem; partially in Central Serbia |
| Region | Population centers | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolubara | Valjevo, Lazarevac | partially in Vojvodina | |
| Podgorina | Valjevo, Mionica | sub-region of Kolubara ("Upper Kolubara") | |
| Mačva | Šabac, Bogatić | partially in Vojvodina | |
| Pocerina | Petkovica, Tekeriš | ||
| Podrinje | Loznica, Bajina Bašta | partially in Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Azbukovica | Ljubovija, Ljuboviđa | sub-region of Podrinje | |
| Jadar | Loznica, Osečina | sub-region of Podrinje | |
| Lešnica | Lešnica, Lipnički Šor | sub-region of Podrinje | |
| Posavina | Obrenovac, Zvečka | geographically, part of a much larger area stretching through Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Rađevina | Krupanj, Pecka | ||
| Tamnava | Ub, Koceljeva | ||
| Podgorina | |||
| Užička Crna Gora | |||
| Kolubara | |||
| Posava-Tamnava |
| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Šumadija | Belgrade (Part of Belgrade), Kragujevac | |
| Belica | Jagodina, Majur | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Gruža | Knić, Gruža | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Jasenica | Aranđelovac, Smederevska Palanka | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Kačer | Ljig, Belanovica | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Kosmaj | Mladenovac, Sopot | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Lepenica | Kragujevac, Batočina | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Levač | Rekovac, Velike Pčelice | sub-region of Šumadija; formerly called Levče |
| Lugomir | minor settlements | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Takovo | Gornji Milanovac | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Temnić | Varvarin, Velika Drenova | sub-region of Šumadija |
| Podunavlje | Smederevo, Grocka | |
| Požarevačka Morava | Požarevac | |
| Veliko Pomoravlje | Velika Plana, Ćuprija | part of Pomoravlje |
| Zapadno Pomoravlje | Čačak, Kraljevo | part of Pomoravlje |
| Crna Gora | Kosjerić, Ježevica | sub-region of Zapadno Pomoravlje; not to be confused with Montenegro |
| Rasina | Kruševac, Parunovac | |
| Aleksandrovačka župa | Aleksandrovac, Gornje Rataje |
| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Banja | Sokobanja, Mozgovo | |
| Braničevo | Veliko Gradište, Carevac | |
| Homolje | Žagubica, Krepoljin | |
| Stig | Kostolac, Malo Crniće | |
| Crna Reka | Podgorac, Gamzigrad | |
| Ključ | Kladovo, Brza Palanka | |
| Kučaj | sparsely populated | |
| Mlava | Petrovac na Mlavi, Veliko Laole | |
| Poreč | Donji Milanovac, Rudna Glava | not to be confused with Poreč in Croatia |
| Svrljig | Svrljig | |
| Šopluk | ||
| Krajište | ||
| Vlasina | Vlasotince | |
| Resava | Svilajnac, Despotovac | |
| Timok Valley | Zaječar, Knjaževac | |
| Negotin Valley | Negotin, Jabukovac | also called "Krajina" in Serbian |
| Visok | north of Dimitrovgrad | partially in Bulgaria (Висок) |
| Zaglavak | east of Knjaževac | |
| Zvižd | Kučevo, Neresnica |
South-Western Serbia
edit| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raška | partially in Montenegro; parts of it is called Sandžak | |
| Dragačevo | Lučani, Guča | sub-region of Raška |
| Ibarski Kolašin | Tutin, Zubin Potok | sub-region of Raška; also called Stari Kolašin; partially in Kosovo |
| Komarani | Brodarevo, Gostun | sub-region of Polimlje; partially in Montenegro |
| Moravac | Suvi Do, Đerekare | sub-region of Raška and Sandžak and Pešter; partially in Montenegro |
| Moravica | Ivanjica, Arilje | sub-region of Raška |
| Pešter | Sjenica, Štavalj | sub-region of Raška and Sandžak; partially in Montenegro |
| Polimlje | Priboj, Prijepolje | sub-region of Raška; partially in Montenegro |
| Sjeničko Polje | Sjenica | sub-region of Raška and Sandžak; west of Pešter |
| Stari Vlah | Priboj, Prijepolje | sub-region of Raška; partially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro; formerly called Dabar (western) and Jelci (eastern part) |
| Rujno | sub-region of Raška; north of Stari Vlah | |
| Tara | Zaovine, Perućac | sub-region of Raška and Podrinje |
| Zlatibor | Zlatibor, Čajetina | sub-region of Raška |
| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dobrič | south-east of Prokuplje | |
| Golak | north-west of Svrljig | |
| Goljak | Tulare, Medveđa | partially in Kosovo |
| Jablanica | Leskovac, Lebane | formerly called Glbočica |
| Južno Pomoravlje | Vranje, Vladičin Han | |
| Binačko Pomoravlje | Gjilan, Bujanovac | sub-region of Južno Pomoravlje; also called Gornja Morava; partially in Kosovo |
| Vranjsko Pomoravlje | Vranje | sub-region of Južno Pomoravlje |
| Inogošte | west of Vranje | sub-region of Južno Pomoravlje |
| Krajište | Bosilegrad | partially in Bulgaria (Краище)[1] |
| Lužnica | Babušnica | |
| Pčinja | Trgovište | |
| Poljanica | south of Lebane | |
| Ponišavlje | Niš, Pirot | partially in Bulgaria |
| Donja Koritnica | Bela Palanka | sub-region of Ponišavlje |
| Gornja Koritnica | Bela Palanka | sub-region of Ponišavlje |
| Pusta Reka | Bojnik, Pukovac | |
| Sirinić | Štimlje, Brezovica | |
| Toplica | Prokuplje, Kuršumlija | |
| Kosanica | Kuršumlija, Rača, Prolom Banja | sub-region of Toplica |
| Vlasina | Crna Trava | |
| Zaplanje | Gadžin Han | |
| Znepolje | Strezimirovci | partially in Bulgaria (Знеполе) |
| Žegligovo | Gadžin Han | partially in Macedonia |
| Preševo Valley | Preševo, Miratovac, Oraovica | sub-region of Žegligovo; politically coined and non-geographical term coined in the early 2000s; correct name is "Vranje-Preševo depression" |
| Nišava | north of Zaplanja | |
| Leskovačka Morava | Leskovac |
Kosovo
edit| Region | Population centers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gora | Dragaš, Restelicë | |
| Izmornik | Kamenica, Koretin | |
| Polablje | Podujevo | |
| Metohija | Prizren, Peć | |
| Has | Gjakova | sub-region of Metohija |
| Opolje | Zhur | sub-region of Metohija |
| Prekoruplje | north-east of Orahovac | sub-region of Metohija |
| Podgor | Istok | sub-region of Metohija |
| Podrimlje | Klina, Orahovac | sub-region of Metohija |
| Rugova | Peja | sub-region of Metohija |
| North Kosovo | North Mitrovica | serb.: Ibarski Kolašin |
| Kosovo field | Pristina, Ferizaj | alb.: Fushë Kosovë / serb.: Kosovo Polje |
| Drenica | Skenderaj, Drenas | sub-region of Kosovo field |
| Nerodimlje | Ferizaj, Gornje Nerodimlje | sub-region of Kosovo field |
Sources
edit- Atlas of Serbia (2006); Intersistem Kartofragija; ISBN 86-7722-205-7
- Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; ISBN 86-01-02651-6
- Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija, Third edition (1986), Vol.I; Prosveta; ISBN 86-07-00001-2
- Auto atlas Jugoslavija-Evropa, Eleventh edition (1979); Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod
See also
edit