Size, Location and Demographics
The region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje is located in the central part of Serbia, between the major rivers the Sava and Danube in the north, the Velika Morava in the east, the Zapadna Morava in the south, and the Kolubara river in the west.
The surface of the region is 5.001km2, which makes 5.6 % of the total territory of the Republic of Serbia. According to the latest official census from 2011, a total 507.844 of inhabitants live in this territory, so the average population density is 101 per km2. The Proportion of population of Šumadija and Pomoravlje in the total population of the Republic of Serbia amounts to 7 %.
The region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje includes two districts in its structure - the Šumadija district and the Pomoravlje district. The Šumadija district includes the city of Kragujevac and six municipalities: Aranđelovac Batočina, Lapovo, Knić, Rača and Topola. The total area of the Šumadjia district is 2387 km2, out of which 835 km2 is the territory of the city of Kragujevac, which is also the largest city in the region. The number of residents of Šumadija district is 293.308, and the average population density is 123 per km2.
The Pomoravlje district includes the city of Jagodina and five municipalities: Despotovac, Paraćin, Rekovac, Svilajnac and Ćuprija.With the total of 2.617 km2 of the whole area and the population of 214.536, the Pomoravlje district has an average density of 82 inhabitants per km2.
The city of Kragujevac is the largest city in the territory of Šumadija and Pomoravlje, and also represents an administrative, economic, cultural, educational and health center of the entire region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje and the central Serbia. It is located in the central part of the Republic of Serbia and the region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje 140 km southeast of Belgrade.
The region of Šumadija and Pomoravlje is located in the central part of Serbia and by its position gained the title of the crossroads of Serbia through history. As the main communication, international corridor A10 that runs through all the length of the territory, a network of main roads that connect Šumadija and Pomoravlje with other parts of Serbia, as well as the railway network with transit station in Lapovo, which belongs to the railway routes leading south to Montenegro, Bulgaria and Greece and to the north to Hungary and Romania should be mentioned.
In terms of geographical characteristics, it can be said that the whole area of Šumadija and Pomoravlje has the characteristics of highland areas with the exception of the Moravska valley, with its alluvial characteristics. The most attractive mountains are: Rudnik (Cvijić’s top is 1132 m high), Beljanica (1339 m), Bukulja (696 m), Vujan (857m), Juhor (773 m) and Gledić mountains (922 m). Flora of these mountains is characterized by oak and beech forests at lower altitudes and pine forests at higher altitudes. Fauna is diverse, from small game (rabbit, fox, pheasant, partridge, etc.) to the big game (buck, wild boar, etc.).
Šumadija and Pomoravlje flows are numerous, but short, primarily because of limitation of the whole area with rivers of the region. Šumadija and Pomoravlje is characterized by small amount of precipitation, but regardless it can be said that the springs are frequent. From the so called Šumadijska Greda and hydrographic node on the mountain Rudnik, water flows into the Velika Morava (over tha Ralja, Jasenica, Lepenica, Osanica, Belica, and Lugomir and Kalenićka River), into the West Morava (over the Gruža) Kolubara (Ljig and Turija) and the Sava (the Topčiderska river). Flows build bends (elbows), less often meanders and change directions.
The Velika Morava, the largest river with the source in Serbia, which runs through much of Šumadija and Pomoravlje, allows a significant change in the water balance by raising artificial reservoirs. It should be noted that when it comes to the issue of water supply, Šumadija and Pomoravlje is considered to be one of the ‘driest’ areas in Serbia.
Šumadija and Pomoravlje is characterized by temperate - continental climate, which is microclimatically uneven, primarily due to height difference between different parts of the region. The region is characterized by smaller amount of precipitation so it is classified as a ‘drier’ part of the Republic of Serbia. The mountains are wetter (around 1000 mm) annually, and winds blow from all directions, and the strongest winter wind is Košava.
Demography
Based on the data relating to the four official censuses it can
be concluded that the development of the population of the
region records negative tendencies that are reflected in the
deepening of the following demographic processes: the total and
natural depopulation as well as the demographic aging.
According to the census from the year 2011. the region of
Šumadija and Pomoravlje was inhabited by 507.844 inhabitants,
whereby the 293.308 inhabitants referred to Šumadijski
district, that is 214.536 inhabitants to the Pomoravlje
district.
Municipality | Number of inhabitants | |
2002 - Census | 2011 - Census | |
Aranđelovac | 48.129 | 46.225 |
Batočina | 12.220 | 11.760 |
Knić | 16.148 | 14.237 |
Kragujevac | 175.802 | 179.417 |
Lapovo | 8.228 | 7.837 |
Rača | 12.959 | 11.503 |
Topola | 25.292 | 22.329 |
Despotovac | 25.611 | 23.191 |
Jagodina | 70.894 | 71.852 |
Paraćin | 58.301 | 54.242 |
Rekovac | 13.551 | 11.055 |
Svilajnac | 25.511 | 23.551 |
Ćuprija | 33.567 | 30.645 |
Šumadija and Pomoravlje | 526.213 | 507.844 |