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Volume XV |
Human and economic geography, Various

The role of geographic and socio-demographic factors in socio-cultural adaptability of international students

1,

Abstract: International students constitute a temporary population within the host country. In the age of increasing global mobility, societal fluidity, and the internationalization of higher education, studying abroad requires complex adaptation to new academic and socio-cultural environments. Focusing on the Serbian context, this paper examines the relations between international students’ geographic and socio-demographic characteristics and changes in various aspects of their lives and personalities following their experiences abroad, particularly as influenced by socio-cultural adaptation and cross-cultural interaction. Data were collected using Limesurvey. Statistical analyses included a series of t-tests and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings are interpreted within the frameworks of acculturation theory and cross-cultural adaptation theory.
The results indicate that most respondents view studying abroad as transformative, with nearly half reporting significant personal change. Geographic factors, such as country and continent of origin, and socio-demographic characteristics, including sex, age, education level attaining abroad, and length of stay, influence both the nature and extent of these changes following their study abroad experiences.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full article 10.5775/fg.2026.1.3763Dates:
Received: 25-03-2026 Accepted: 07-06-2026 Printed: 30-06-2026 Online: 04-09-2026
Affiliations:
  • 1 Institute of Social Sciences, Centre for Demographic Research, Kraljice Natalije 45, Belgrade, Serbia
Corresponding author:
  • vlukic@idn.org.rs
Declaration of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Citation:
APA 6 | Harvard 2008 | Turabian 6 | MLA 7
RIS | BibTeX
Funding: This research was supported by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, GRANT No 1434, IS-MIGaIN, and was written as part of the 2026 Research Program of the Institute of Social Sciences with the support of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XV |
Various

Bibliometric analysis of forced migration

1,, 2

Abstract: This bibliometric analysis systematically examines the evolution of scientific research on forced migration between 1974 and 2025. Using data extracted from the Scopus database and processed through the Bibliometrix package in R, the study investigates publication trajectories, international collaboration patterns, and thematic developments across five decades. The analysis aims to identify major research areas, influential authors and institutions, and emerging conceptual directions within this geographically diverse field. Results indicate a steady and substantial growth in scholarly output, with an annual growth rate of 9.41% and an average of 15.56 citations per document, reflecting the increasing global relevance of displacement as a social, political, and humanitarian challenge. Collaboration networks show strong academic linkages among Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, although notable regional disparities persist, particularly in areas heavily affected by displacement but underrepresented in academic production. Thematic clustering and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) reveal three dominant research fields, including determinants and governance of migration, humanitarian responses and conflict induced displacement, and typologies and trajectories of forced migration. These findings clarify the field’s conceptual landscape and emphasize the need for broader international engagement and increased research contributions from understudied regions. The analysis offers a structured foundation for future investigations and supports the development of more informed and context sensitive approaches to understanding contemporary displacement dynamics.

Keywords: , , , , ,
Full article 10.5775/fg.2026.1.3761Dates:
Received: 15-05-2026 Accepted: 30-06-2026 Printed: 30-06-2026 Online: 04-09-2026
Affiliations:
  • 1 Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Doctoral School of Geosciences, Carol I Boulevard, No. 11, 700506, Iasi, Romania
  • 2 Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Carol I Boulevard, No. 11, 700506, Iasi, Romania
Corresponding author:
  • lucianbratu99@gmail.com
Author contributions: Conceptualization, methodology, data curation, writing, LB; supervision, review, IM. All authors have read and agreed to the published.Declaration of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Citation:
APA 6 | Harvard 2008 | Turabian 6 | MLA 7
RIS | BibTeX
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XIV |
Hydrology

Flood exposure and settlement vulnerability in the Moldavian Plateau, Eastern Romania

1,, 1, 1

Abstract: This paper quantifies settlement-level exposure to centennial flood across the Moldavian Plateau (NE Romania) using a reproducible GIS workflow. Official flood-hazard bands were intersected with built-up limits and building footprints; rural housing was completed by manual digitization, while urban fabric relied on OpenStreetMap layer. Exposed population was estimated from household counts using the national average of 2.6 persons/household, with additional rules for apartment blocks. Results are reported at multiple scales—by river basins (Siret, Jijia including Buhai–Miletin–Bahlui–Bahlueț, Bârlad and Prut/Chineja) and urban case studies (Iași, Bacău, Vaslui). The Siret basin concentrates the highest systemic exposure, Prut highlights transport-corridor vulnerability (DN/DJ roads and railway segments), while Bârlad exhibits dense, localized hot-spots. City-level estimates indicate approximately 68,750 exposed inhabitants in Iași, 36,756 in Bacău, and 2,550 in Vaslui under centennial flood scenario, together with clusters of socio-economic assets and critical infrastructure near the hazard band. Key limitations include potential under or over counts in recent developments, block-stairwell granularity, and reliance on census-based household averages. The findings support differentiated risk-reduction priorities: structural measures across Siret sub-basins, transport protection and redundancy along Prut, and targeted local actions in Bârlad. Periodic updates of hazard mapping using LiDAR and hydraulic modeling are recommended to refine exposure estimates and planning decisions.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full article 10.5775/fg.2025.3746.dDates:
Received: 12-09-2025 Accepted: 30-11-2025 Printed: 30-12-2025 Online: 30-12-2025
Affiliations:
  • 1 Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Faculty of History, Geography and Social Sciences, Geography Department, Universității Street, no. 13, Suceava, 720229, Romania
Corresponding author:
  • domenic.becica2@student.usv.ro
Author contributions: Conceptualization, D.R.B. and M.M.; methodology, D.R.B. and M.M.; formal analysis, D.R.B. and M.M.; investigation, D.R.B. and M.B.; writing—original draft preparation, D.R.B.; writing—review and editing, D.R.B. and M.B.. All authors have read and agreed to the published.Declaration of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Citation:
APA 6 | Harvard 2008 | Turabian 6 | MLA 7
RIS | BibTeX
Funding: This research received no external funding.Acknowledgements: The authors sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers for their detailed evaluations and highly constructive feedback, which substantially improved the quality and clarity of this paper. The authors are also deeply grateful to the editors of Forum Geografic for their continuous support, professionalism, and valuable coordination during the peer-review process.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XIV |
Environment

Analysis of nitrogen dioxide levels in the atmosphere of cities in the Moldova Region, Romania

1,, 2, 3, 4

Abstract: The novelty of this study consists in the spatio-temporal analysis of the annual, seasonal, daily and hourly concentration values of the chemical pollutant NO2 , in the 8 counties of the Moldova – Romania Region (24 stations), over a period of 14 years (2009 – 2022), in close connection with its emission sources and with the geographical factors that can amplify or diminish it. The study is representative through the temporal consistency of the data series, through their number, and by the fact that it integrates three different sub-intervals that influenced the levels of NO2: two without restrictions, in which human activity was carried out normally (2009 – 2020 and 2021 – 2022) and one pandemic (centered on 2020) in which the population’s activity was restricted. The average annual concentrations of the pollutant NO2 exceeded the limit values only at the IS-1 station (41.5 μg/m3), due to the intense road traffic on the Red Bridge, the railway traffic and the high degree of urbanization of the indicated perimeter. The effective monthly, daily and hourly average values of NO2 emissions fell within the specific quality indices of excellent, very good and good throughout the studied interval. The maximum values of the concentration of this gas (127 μg/m3 – IS-1 / 17.02.2017) were recorded in winter, due to the intensification of road traffic and the production of thermal energy for heating houses. The specific meteorological conditions (thermal inversions, fog, calm atmosphere) and the local configuration of the relief (the Bahlui valley with a depressional corridor appearance), favored the accumulation and stagnation of the pollutant, without it exceeding the limit values according to Law no. 104/15 June 2011 and without endangering the health of the population. The study provides both an overview and a detailed picture of the atmospheric distribution of NO2 in the eight counties of Moldova and can represent a reporting support for other studies to be carried out in the field of air chemistry at the base of the atmosphere.

Keywords: , , ,
Full article 10.5775/fg.2025.3742.dDates:
Received: 06-11-2025 Accepted: 15-12-2025 Printed: 30-12-2025 Online: 30-12-2025
Affiliations:
  • 1 Doctoral School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Doctoral Field of Geography, 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania & Applied Geography Research Center (GeA), 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania and Gymnasium School "Ion Creangă " Suceava, 1 December 1918 Boulevard, 720262 Suceava, Romania
  • 2 Applied Geography Research Center (GeA), 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania and Gymnasium School No 4 Suceava, 10 Zorilor Street, 720237 Suceava, Romania
  • 3 Doctoral School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Doctoral Field of Geography, 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania and Applied Geography Research Center (GeA), 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania and Faculty of History, Geography and Social Sciences, Department of Geography, „Stefan cel Mare“ University of Suceava, 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania
  • 4 Applied Geography Research Center (GeA), 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania and Faculty of History, Geography and Social Sciences, Department of Geography, „Stefan cel Mare“ University of Suceava, 13 Universității Street, 720 229 Suceava, Romania
Corresponding author:
  • nistorbobo@yahoo.com
Author contributions: All authors contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, design, and writing of this paper. Data collection was performed by NA and NB, analysis was performed by NA, NB, and MD, and graphical representations were prepared by NA, NB, MD, and BPI. The first draft of the manuscript was drafted by MD and written by NA and NB, and all authors discussed and provided input. All authors reviewed the manuscript and ultimately agreed on the version submitted for review and publication.Declaration of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Citation:
APA 6 | Harvard 2008 | Turabian 6 | MLA 7
RIS | BibTeX
Funding: This work was supported by a NetZeroCities grant - https://netzerocities.eu/the-netzerocities-project/. NetZeroCities is part of the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, in support of the European Green Deal. At the same time, two of the authors (Nistor Alina and Mihăilă Dumitru) participated in activities within the mobility project no. PN-IV-P2-2.2-MC-2024-0927 (Program 5.2 - Human Resources, Subprogram 5.2.2 - Mobilities Mobility projects for researchers, Competition 2024), by participating in the Czech University of Life Science, Prague, Czech Republic, entitled "Assessment of air quality in the Moldova - Romania Region, based on the principles and monitoring technologies used by the Hydrometeorological Institute in Prague, Czech Republic" (November 16 - December 1, 2024)Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to the environmental specialists from the County Environmental Protection Agencies in the Moldova – Romania (Suceava, Botoșani, Iași, Neamț, Bacău, Vaslui, Galați, Vrancea) for providing hourly data for the pollutant NO2 from the 24 APM stations used in this analysis. We express our sincere gratitude to the editor and reviewers for their support in reviewing and publishing this article.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XIV |
Geomorphology, Tourism

Geomorphosites and ongoing anthropogenic changes: concepts and implications regarding the heritage value of geotourism sites in the Bran–Rucăr–Dragoslavele Corridor (Romania)

1,, 2, 3

Abstract: This study contributes to the inventory and understanding of the heritage value of four geomorphosites (two caves, a pit and a partially karstified plateau with anthropic relief of a military tactical device) located in the central part of the Bran – Dragoslavele Corridor, an important tourist axis in the Romanian Carpathians. The main purpose of the research is to propose to the Scientific Council of the Piatra Craiului National Park and the National Agency for Protected Natural Areas the declaration of the four geomorphosites as nature reserves, as they are at risk of being affected by negative anthropogenic actions. The inclusion of these geomorphosites in the PNPC/ROSCI 0194 Piatra Craiului Management Plan could lead to their subsequent declaration as protected natural areas. At the same time, the underground cavities could be declared habitats of national/community interest in the category “Caves closed to public access”. A secondary objective of this study is to promote the concept of geotourism within the geographical area subject to geomorphological analysis. For this reason, it could also be useful to local legal and administrative authorities in the villages of Rucăr, Podu Dâmboviței, Dâmbovicioara and Fundata. Their decisions, in conjunction with those at national level, could lead to the implementation of the concept and the development of geotourism in the region, through the creation of geotourism circuits promoted appropriately, precisely because of the high potential offered by the numerous geological and geomorphological tourist resources existing in the administrative territories of the aforementioned localities. The geomorphosite files inventoried in the central area of this transcarpathian corridor could serve as a basis for information for the promotion and establishment of a large protected natural area that would include (conserve, protect and/or sustainably exploit) the geotourism objectives in the region (other than those included in the “The Gorges of Dâmbovița – Dâmbovicioara – Brusturet Karst Area” Geological and Geomorphological Reserve) and which would bear the proposed name: “Moieciu – Fundata – Dâmbovicioara – Rucăr Geological and Geomorphological Complex” Nature Reserve.

Keywords: , , , , ,
Full article 10.5775/fg.2025.3738.dDates:
Received: 17-11-2025 Accepted: 30-12-2025 Printed: 30-12-2025 Online: 30-12-2025
Affiliations:
  • 1 Faculty of Geography, "Babeș Bolyai" University, 5-7 Clinicilor Street, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania and "Nicolae Titulescu" College, 125 "13 Decembrie" Street, 500164 Brașov, Romania
  • 2 "Silex" Brașov Speleology Club, Romania
  • 3 Faculty of History and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Suceava, Universităţii 13, 720229 Suceava, Romania and Geoconcept Association of Applied Geography, Suceava, Romania
Corresponding author:
  • septimius.trif@ubbcluj.ro
Author contributions: Conceptualization, S.T. and M.M.; methodology, S.T. and A.P.; formal analysis, M.M. and A.P.; investigation, S.T. and A.P.; writing—original draft preparation, S.T.; writing—review and editing, S.T., M.M. and A.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.Declaration of interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Citation:
APA 6 | Harvard 2008 | Turabian 6 | MLA 7
RIS | BibTeX
Funding: This research received no external funding.Acknowledgements: Exploration and topgraphy of Pleașa Cave and Pereți Pit was carried out with the support of members of the "Silex" Brașov Speleology Club: Dumitru I. (topographer), Olteanu D. and Pologea A. (topographer). The exploration of Posada Cave was carried out with the support of explorers: Cioban D., Cheran R., and Tănase P.E. (geologist).
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
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