Shrinking Cities in Romania: Former Mining Cities in Valea Jiului

This paper focuses on shrinkage in Romania and depicts the case of the former mining cities of Valea Jiului, which have undergone drastic changes since the fall of communism. The paper places the shrinkage process in a wider context by analysing the post-communist period and its effects on the structure, spatial organization and function of Eastern European cities. Like other such cities, Romania's urbanity has experienced two ruptures, each followed by transition phases. Apart from these common facts, the special demographic features, state policies and migration patterns differentiate the shrinking processes in Romanian cities. Romania is in the top tier of countries with the highest number of declining cities, and is predicted to lose about a quarter of its current population by 2050. Deindustrialization is depicted here as one of the main causes of shrinkage, a process that puts the small and medium cities in danger. An overall view of the country's deindustrialized cities is provided, while special attention is given to the six interconnected mono-industrial cities of Valea Jiului, where decay has deeply affected the urban environment, from buildings to social interaction, to industry and landscape. Following analysis of the failed measures and possible development strategies, the article concludes that it is possible that not all Romanian urban settlements will survive these economic and social changes.