Daily migration systems in East Herzegovina

The paper addresses daily migration systems in East Herzegovina, employing a model for determination of daily urban systems, focusing on daily population migrations as key indicators. Industrialization and urbanization have contributed to an increase in daily migrations, where part of the population works in non-agricultural sectors without permanently relocating to cities. This has led to a decrease in both permanent and daily migrations from rural areas to cities, accompanied by an aging rural population. Daily migrations entail workers, pupils, and students who regularly commute for work and school. The analysis covered migration zones of both city and municipal centers of East Herzegovina, using the data on workforce and pupil daily migrations (representative sample). Two zones of impact of city centers have been identified, each with different daily migration intensities: the intensive impact zone with more than 65% daily migrants and the weak impact zone with less than 35% daily migrants. The data on daily migrations in East Herzegovina suggest that the daily migration system is very poor. The exception is the municipality of Gacko, where workforce migrations from demographically sustainable settlements in the lower parts of the municipality towards the Gacko mine and power plant have been recorded. In the region, depopulation of rural areas is noticeable, along with the phenomenon of demographically depleted settlements and intensive migrations towards urban centers. With an exception of Nevesinje, the secondary migration system is poorly developed due to the small number of settlements with pronounced functional capacities. In the city of Trebinje and the municipalities of Bileća, Gacko, and Nevesinje, two zones of different daily migration intensities have been registered. On the other hand, in the municipalities of Ljubinje, Berkovići, and East Mostar, such zones have not been recorded due to small population and poor functional capacities of central settlements. This study helps us understand spatial and socioeconomic aspects of daily migrations in East Herzegovina and their impact on the local urban and rural systems.