Given the initial results of the 2022 Population, Household, and Housing Census, the question is not whether the demographic situation in Serbia is bad, but how bad it is. Serbia has been struggling with depopulation and other demographic problems for decades, which, while not surprising, worries us. At first glance, there are no positive indicators, but some isolated areas can be identified that are characterized by somewhat more favorable demographic trends, but this should be taken with a grain of salt. The objective of this paper is to look at and analyze the municipalities that have been most affected by the decline in total population between the last two censuses. This is done by analyzing the most threatened municipalities by examining the relationship between depopulation and the eleven parameters presented. Since the municipalities are very diverse in terms of population size, a percentage rather than an absolute decrease has been considered. Since depopulation occupies a significant place at the top of Serbia's demographic problems, the method of correlation and multiple regression is used to create a model that can be used to predict, to some extent, the future state of the most threatened parts of Serbia.

Demographic changes are influenced by various factors, and it is inevitable that the trends of depopulation and demographic aging have become more pronounced in Serbia in recent decades. However, the question arises whether there are notable differences between border municipalities and those not situated on the border. This paper analyzes the demographic indicators of settlements in six municipalities of Serbia, using data from the 2022 census. The study includes three municipalities from the interior of the country (Aranđelovac, Lazarevac, and Mladenovac) and three border municipalities (Bajina Bašta, Užice, and Čajetina). Special emphasis is placed on population aging. The methodological framework of the research involves a comparative statistical analysis of key demographic indicators: the aging index, average age of the population, coefficient of total dependence of the population and the share of women in the fertile age group within the total population. The aim of this paper is to identify the similarities and differences in demographic characteristics between border and interior municipalities, as well as to determine the extent to which unfavorable demographic trends are influenced by geographical location. The research results indicate that depopulation and demographic aging are more pronounced in border municipalities. In fact, half of the settlements in the border municipalities experienced a loss of over 20% of their population during the last inter-census period, while this was true for only 15% of the settlements in interior municipalities. Approximately 40% of settlements in interior municipalities have an average age around or below the national average (44 years), whereas only 7% of settlements in border municipalities share this characteristic. The other selected indicators favor interior municipalities, although it is important to emphasize that their demographic characteristics are also far from ideal. This study contributes to a better understanding of regional demographic disparities.

Various factors, including demographic ones, significantly influence the formation and development of settlements. Unfavorable demographic trends and the process of depopulation can have a major impact on changes in settlement population sizes. For the purposes of this study, the municipalities of Aranđelovac and Lazarevac were selected as the research area. Changes in the number of inhabitants, the share of the urban population, and shifts in settlement population categories were observed across three censuses conducted in the 21st century. The aim of this paper was to determine whether the selected municipalities exhibit different demographic trends in their settlements. In the municipality of Aranđelovac, no settlements recorded an increase in population between 2011 and 2022, whereas in Lazarevac, as many as seven settlements experienced population growth during that period. The share of the urban population also varied between the two municipalities over the analyzed period. In Aranđelovac, the urban population increased by less than 4% over a twenty-year span, while in Lazarevac, this indicator rose up by more than 11%. Furthermore, the population size categories of settlements have undergone significant transformations during the 21st century, but with differences between the municipalities. In Aranđelovac, nearly 80% of all settlements changed their population category, compared to approximately 60% in Lazarevac. The only settlements that experienced progressive changes were Vrbica (a suburban settlement in Aranđelovac) and Vrbovno (municipality of Lazarevac). In contrast, the most pronounced regressive changes in population category were observed in Vreoci (five categories decrease), Zeoke (three categories), and Vukosavci (two categories). This study confirms that even neighboring municipalities can exhibit significantly different demographic flows.

The paper deals with the analysis of the biggest global environmental disaster and the possibilities of its rehabilitation. The expansion of cotton fields and irrigation systems in Central Asia initiated the modern regression of the Aral Sea during the 1960s. The lake was divided in 1987 into two parts due to excessive water use. However, the destruction of the water body did not stop, because alternatives were devised to fill the lake. A pioneering solution involved the transposition of water from the Ob River, while other strategies implied the use of water from other rivers and lakes. However, the first concrete project was achieved by raising the Kokaral dam in 2005, which saved the waters of Syr Darya and formed the Small Aral. A noticeable increase in the water level and a decrease in salinity provided the basis for further revitalization. On the other hand, there was no success in the area of reconstruction of the Large Aral, and its tributary Amu Darya did not reach its mouth for some years. Consequently, at the beginning of the century, the fragmentation of the Large Aral occurred as well as the partial drying of the bottom and the formation of the Aralkum desert. Today, the Aral disaster is an anomaly, as a result of which many changes occurred (division of the unique water area, disruption of the underwater world, climate modification, change in water quality, soil hypersalinization, desertification and air pollution). Studies have shown that Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have saline soil, which can be recovered by cultivating certain plant crops. Although the positive effects of licorice or sorghum would increase economic profits, the established ecological sustainability of this region would be more important. Also, the Aral issue is characterized by a political moment because inadequate water use has fueled international conflicts, although adequate water resources management would become the key to solving the problem of the Aral crisis.

Changes in population distribution can significantly affect the geospace organization. The population redistribution occurred due to important demographic and socio-economic changes. The processes of industrialization, deagrarization and urbanization have significantly reshaped the existing zones of population concentration. It is important to emphasize that the process of depopulation is also a significant modifier of population concentration since the population of Balkan Serbia region was reduced to half from 1961 to 2022. In this paper population distribution is analyzed using the concentration index which was applied to 345 settlements of Balkan Serbia region. The research aimed to establish changes in the population distribution which was achieved through a comparative analysis of the concentration index. All settlements are classified into four concentration zones. During both selected years the dispersion zone occupied the largest area (originally 86% of the settlements then 95%). However, in the analyzed period this zone decreased by 140 thousand inhabitants (from 70% to 27%). The three remaining zones are characterized by significant changes too but the zone of extremely high concentration is proof of the intensive population concentration in a small area. The absence of this zone in 1961 points to a more even distribution of the population while the concentration index for 2022 shows that the zone of extremely high concentration included three urban settlements (Pirot, Svrljig and Bela Palanka). Also, as much as 40% of the total Balkan Serbia population was concentrated there. Such disharmony will continue and the existing concentration zones will be further transformed.

This paper investigates the assessment and mapping of the spatial potential of the Pljevlja Municipality for the construction of photovoltaic solar power plants. This is of particular environmental and economic importance for this area, as it has traditionally always relied on coal exploitation. The methodological approach is based on the integration of GIS and multi-criteria analysis through the application of the Best–Worst Method. Key physical geographic and infrastructural criteria were considered: aspect and terrain slope, land use, distance from primary roads, settlements, and major watercourses. Environmentally sensitive and technically unsuitable areas, covering 33.7% of the municipality, were excluded from the analysis, while 47.7% of the territory was classified as low suitability. The results of the synthesis suitability map indicate that the Pljevlja Municipality possesses significant spatial resources for the development of solar power facilities. Specifically, areas with moderate suitability account for 17.4% of the territory, while zones with the optimal highest suitability cover 1.2%. Although the most favourable conditions occur across a relatively small part of the municipality, these areas represent strategically significant zones for photovoltaic development. The combination of high solar irradiation, flat terrain, and proximity to existing road infrastructure reduces overall investment costs. The obtained results and the generated GIS model provide a useful preliminary basis for local governments, spatial planners, and potential investors, enabling informed decision-making in the process of sustainable energy development and the diversification of the energy sector of the Municipality of Pljevlja.