Zelenci: Rural development and anthropogeographic complex

Abstract

The village Zelenci is situated 25 km southwest of Banja Luka, surrounded with low mountains, on the valley sides of Zelena river. It belongs to the disperse type of settlements. It covers four hamlets (Živkovići, Milekići, Popovići and Vasiljevići) divided by agricultural and forest area. Nowadays village, according to the tales, existed in Turkish period. Even more, it is built on remaining of ancient settlement (archaeological localities from Bronze age, Gradina locality etc). Inhabitants, whose origin was not researched in details until now, according to the locals, have their origins in Montenegro and Kosovo. Zelenci has negative demographic (in 1961 - 337 inhabitants, in 2003 - 89 inhabitants) and overall development after the Second World War and 60s. During this period, mainly because of permanent migrations toward Banja Luka and Novi Sad, Zelenci is changing its appearance, functional and anthropogeographic characteristics. Today four families live in Zelenci (hamlets are named by them), in 29 permanently settled houses (in 1981 - 47 houses, and in 1991 - 29 houses).