General functional dependence of settlements in the capital city region

Numerous studies have emphasized the City of Belgrade as the dominant development pole in the territory of the Republic of Serbia and beyond. Its settlement network forms a system whose demographic and functional transformations have an impact beyond the regional boundaries. This study analyzes the general functional dependence of settlements within the City of Belgrade over the first two decades of the 21st century, using data from the population censuses of 2002, 2011, and 2022. The main indicator is the ratio between the number of commuters and the number of employed persons in each settlement, enabling the classification of settlements by their degree of functional dependence on employment centers. The methodological framework is based on statistical data processing from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, applying index and categorical analysis. The study covers 157 settlements, treating parts of Belgrade as separate units. The results reveal significant and dynamic changes over the two intercensus periods. The number of highly dependent settlements has steadily increased-initially driven by suburbanization and commuting growth, reflecting periurban expansion, followed later by depopulation and aging in smaller suburban zones. Meanwhile, the number of strongly dependent settlements decreased, yet these areas became more demographically and economically stable sub-centers. The complete disappearance of weakly dependent settlements and the preserved dominance of the functionally independent urban core indicate accelerated metropolization and a clear dichotomy in Belgrade?s urban structure.