GLAVNE ODREDNICE GEOGRAFSKOGA POLOŽAJA VUKOVARA
Main Characteristics of the Geographical Position of Vukovar

Summary/Abstract: In the history of Vukovar there have been prosperous periods as well as periods of the town's decreasing importance and spatial impact. As an outstandingly prosperous period remain the 18th and 19th centuries when Vukovar was among the three most important urban centres of Eastern Croatia, together with Osijek and Zemun. Vukovar was primarily the centre of trade and crafts but also became an important port on the Danube river. In the 20th century the most important transportation routes in the region moved further away and left Vukovar at the positional margin within the region. However, some positional characteristics have remained as advantages of Vukovar. Vukovar is the only Croatian town and river-port situated on the Danube. Due to the fact that the Danube river flows marginally through Croatia, Vukovar is also a town situated right on the international border. As a town on the Danube, Vukovar has no other town in Croatia to compete with, which is illustrated by figures of total cargo handled in Croatian river-ports. As a town situated on the international border, Vukovar was exposed to Serbian aggression in the 1990s and therefore suffered from the negative impacts of its position. The positive effects that may come out of Vukovar's position of a border-town remain a possibility to be realised in the future.

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