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Yugoslavia's Evolving Map

An in-depth exploration of the administrative divisions that shaped the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, from its inception to the eve of WWII. Understand the historical context of its territorial organization.

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Pre-Yugoslav Subdivisions (1918–1922)

Transitional Structure

Upon its formation in 1918, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later renamed Yugoslavia) initially retained the pre-World War I administrative subdivisions inherited from its predecessor states. This period represented a transitional phase, maintaining the existing provincial structures before a unified national system could be implemented.

Provincial Divisions

The Kingdom was broadly divided into several large provinces, reflecting the territories of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, the independent Kingdom of Serbia, and the Kingdom of Montenegro. These provinces served as the primary administrative units during this initial period.

The primary provinces (pokrajine) were:

  • Slovenia
  • Croatia and Slavonia
  • Dalmatia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Banat, Bačka and Baranja
  • Serbia (further divided into Northern Serbia and Southern Serbia)
  • Montenegro

These provinces were further subdivided into numerous districts and counties, each administered according to the legacy structures of the former states.

Oblasts: A Unitary Approach (1922–1929)

Centralized Administration

The Vidovdan Constitution of 1921 established Yugoslavia as a unitary state. In 1922, this led to the creation of 33 new administrative units known as oblasts (counties). This system aimed to centralize power and promote a unified national identity, deliberately avoiding ethnic or historical regional names.

Naming Conventions

The oblats were primarily named after geographical features such as rivers, regions, or major cities from which they were administered. This nomenclature was intended to foster Yugoslavism and multiculturalism, distancing the new administrative map from the complex ethnic and historical boundaries of the past.

The 33 Oblasts established in 1922 were:

  • Oblast of Banja Luka (Vrbas Oblast)
  • Oblast of Belgrade
  • Oblast of Bihać
  • Oblast of Bitola
  • Oblast of Čačak (Raška Oblast)
  • Oblast of Cetinje (Zeta Oblast)
  • Oblast of Ćuprija
  • Oblast of Dubrovnik
  • Oblast of Karlovac (Primorsko-Krajina Oblast)
  • Oblast of Kragujevac (Šumadija Oblast)
  • Oblast of Kruševac
  • Oblast of Ljubljana
  • Oblast of Maribor
  • Oblast of Mostar
  • Oblast of Niš
  • Oblast of Novi Sad (Bačka Oblast)
  • Oblast of Osijek
  • Oblast of Požarevac
  • Oblast of Priština (Kosovo Oblast)
  • Oblast of Šabac (Podrinje Oblast)
  • Oblast of Sarajevo
  • Oblast of Skopje
  • Oblast of Smederevo (Podunavlje Oblast)
  • Oblast of Split
  • Oblast of Štip
  • Oblast of Travnik
  • Oblast of Tuzla
  • Oblast of Užice (Zlatibor Oblast?)
  • Oblast of Valjevo
  • Oblast of Vranje
  • Oblast of Vukovar (Syrmia Oblast)
  • Oblast of Zagreb
  • Oblast of Zaječar (Timok Oblast)

Banates: A New Administrative Order (1929–1941)

Royal Dictatorship and Regionalization

In 1929, King Alexander I established a royal dictatorship and reorganized the country's internal administration. The 33 oblats were abolished and replaced by nine new provinces, known as banovinas (banates). This reform aimed to further centralize the state and diminish the influence of historical and ethnic identities.

River-Named Regions

With the exception of the Littoral Banovina, the new banovinas were predominantly named after major rivers flowing through their territories. This geographical naming convention was a deliberate strategy to create administrative units that transcended ethnic and historical boundaries, reinforcing the concept of a unified Yugoslav state.

The nine banovinas established in 1929 were:

  • Danube Banovina (Dunavska banovina), capital: Novi Sad
  • Drava Banovina (Dravska banovina), capital: Ljubljana
  • Drina Banovina (Drinska banovina), capital: Sarajevo
  • Littoral Banovina (Primorska banovina), capital: Split
  • Morava Banovina (Moravska banovina), capital: Niš
  • Sava Banovina (Savska banovina), capital: Zagreb
  • Vardar Banovina (Vardarska banovina), capital: Skopje
  • Vrbas Banovina (Vrbaska banovina), capital: Banja Luka
  • Zeta Banovina (Zetska banovina), capital: Cetinje

Additionally, the City of Belgrade, along with Zemun and Pančevo, formed a separate administrative unit independent of the surrounding Danube Banovina.

The Banovina of Croatia (1939–1941)

Political Accommodation

In response to political pressures and the desire to address the "Croatian question," the Banovina of Croatia was established in 1939 through the Cvetković–Maček agreement. This significant political maneuver created a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom.

Territorial Consolidation

The Banovina of Croatia was formed by merging the existing Littoral and Sava Banovinas. It also incorporated additional territories from the Drina, Danube, Vrbas, and Zeta Banovinas, specifically those areas where ethnic Croats constituted the majority of the population. Its capital was Zagreb, the country's second-largest city.

Historical Notes

Contextual Information

The administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were a dynamic reflection of the political landscape and the central government's efforts to manage a diverse multi-ethnic state. The transitions from pre-Yugoslav divisions to the oblast system, and subsequently to the banovinas, illustrate the evolving strategies employed to govern the country.

  • Nada Boskovska, Yugoslavia and Macedonia Before Tito: Between Repression and Integration, I.B. Tauris, 2017
  • Istorijski atlas, Intersistem kartografija, Beograd, 2010
  • Istorijski atlas, Geokarta, Beograd, 1999

An external resource provides a map of Yugoslav banates (banovinas) in Hungarian.

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References

References

  1.  Nada Boskovska, Yugoslavia and Macedonia Before Tito: Between Repression and Integration, I.B. Tauris, 2017
A full list of references for this article are available at the Subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia Wikipedia page

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