Assessing the viability of Romania's newly established metropolitan areas

Abstract

The legislation of new metropolitan areas in Romania follows the complicated and confusing experience of previous metropolitan areas, instilling a sense of excessive caution among both public authorities and researchers. A review of the literature demonstrates the prevalence of theoretical, methodological, and sectoral approaches when dealing with this functional frame of territorial delineation. Our research proposes an exploratory analysis of the major metropolitan areas developed around county seats, in order to understand the medium and long‐term dynamics affect‐ ing the development of these territorial structures that are contingent on the local governance. By using a methodology based on the harmonisation of statistical series according to the current administrative structure, as well as on the carto‐ graphic analysis of demographic trends between 1992 and 2021, the study demonstrates the uneven development trends of major metropolitan areas, increasing the risk of widening territorial gaps.