Communication and the Development of Rural Settlements

The development of settlements, from their origin to full prosperity, is unimaginable without well-organized communications. Not all settlements, including rural ones, have equally well developed communications ties. Better communications links accelerate the development of a certain small number of rural settlements which are then more rapidly \u27transformed in the direction of urban settlements. As the empirical research undertaken in the suburban areas around Zagreb shows, nonagricultural economic functions are concentrated in these settlements more than in other villages. The population of these, villages is increasing and assumes more and more the characteristics of an urban population, while the village itself obtains a series of service institutions and institutions commensurate with a higher social standard. Communications links in a majority of the rural settlements in the suburban region around Zagreb are still poor. Villages with poorer communications links not only stagnate in their development, but also even partially degenerate. This degeneration is particularly expressed in the constant decline in the number of inhabitants and in restrictions in the economic and cultural life of such rural settlements. However, the short time period and the speed with which these communications links are developing — more rapid development began in the 1950’s — allows one to foresee a more optimistic prognosis of improvement presently in the communications opportunities available to a larger number of rural settlements in the suburban region around Zagreb. It is clear that with the improvement of communications opportunities, a larger number of rural settlements will be included in the positive transformation process between village and town