Geographical characteristics

The City of Zajecar is a geographical, administrative, business, political and cultural center of the municipality and Administrative District of Zajecar, it is positioned within the Zajecar Pit (between 43°54` and 43°42` of the north latitude, 22°07` and 22°24` of the east longitude and 137m of elevation), 11 km away from the border with Bulgaria, in-between and at the confluence of Crni and Beli Timok. The city was originally situated on the right coast of Crni Timok, up to the hill Kraljevica. Over time, it spread out along the left coast of Crni Timok and towards the west.

The city is built at the junction of the main roads: Paracin – Zajecar – Kula (Bulgaria) where from the this main direction branches towards Vidin and Sofia, Paracin – Negotin – Kladovo – Romanian border, Paracin – Zajecar – Knjazevac – Nis and Negotin – Zajecar – Knjazevac – Nis.Main directions towards Vidin and Sofia are next to the main road Belgrade - Donji Milanovac - Kladovo - Negotin and further, the sole and shortest road connection between Europe and the remaining part of our country towards the northern Bulgaria and southern Romania and further on towards the Black Sea Basin, which renders Zajecar a special international significance.

Zajecar basin is a part of the Crni, Beli I Veliki Timok. The length of the basin is 20 km. The basin encompasses 16 km of the Crni Timok flow, 22 km of the Beli Timok and 10 km of the Veliki Timok. It represents the part of the spacious longitudinal depression, of a tectonic origin, which stretched up from the Danube to Knjazevac. On the south from Zajecar, the Beli Timok has created the Vratarnica Pit, which represents the connection between the Zajecar basin in the north and the Knjazevac basin in the south. The pit is embedded between the village Zmijanac and the Grliste River. Its length is 5 km, depth 170 – 190 m and width 0,5 km. Its creation took place due to the fluvial work of the Beli Timok. In the north-east from Zajecar, between the villages Vrazogrnac and Trnavac, under Zlatija, the epigenetic pit of the Big Timok is embedded, of a length of 2,5 km and depth 150 – 240 m. The pit still stretches 24 km towards northeast up to the train station Brusnik. In the west, the Crni Timok has embedded the Baba Jona pit of a length of 22,5 km (the border between Sumrakovac-Sarbanovac and Zvezdan pits), where the new road Zajecar – Paracin was created. This rail separates the valley of the middle flow of the Crni Timok from the lower flow valley, which is located in the Zajecar pit.

The basic relief shapes, created by outer forces, are fluvial, abrasive and karst. Tupiznica possesses superficial karst shapes, formed as masked depressions and hollows, while the underground shapes are present as the pits and caves; They appear on Tupiznica and in the area of the Vratarnica pit. The fundament of the mountain is composed out of the slates and magma rocks, and the very reef is out of limestone. The karst shapes mildly appear as hollows. The other mountain is Deli Jovan in the northwest, a part of a mountain range. The highest peak is 1138 m high.

The territory of the City of Zajecar is intersected by the Beli and Crni Timok, which near Vrazogrnac join and create the Veliki Timok. These three Timoks create the basis of the Timok  riversystem, which stands for the backbone of the hydrographic network of this region. Besides, the territory of the municipality is intersected by smaller rivers (Lubnica, Lenovac, Gornja Bela Reka, Lasovo and others). The water line is the highest at spring and lowest during summer months. The Timok river system has a significant importance for this area, whose fertile valley is extremely convenient for the agriculture.

There are no natural lakes on the municipality territory, but, there are three artificial (accumulating) lakes: Grliste, Rgotina and Sovinac. The lake Grliste and Sovinac are used for water supply, while the lake Rgotina was created by collecting water within the excavations (pits) of quarts sand near the village Rgotina. The City of Zajecar and one part of the villages (Grljan, Veliki Izvor, Vrazogrnac, Sljivar, Lubnica, Zvezdan etc) are being supplied with drinking water from the city waterworks system which obtains water from the lake Grliste.

Within the territory of Zajecar, there are two thermal mineral wells: Gamzigradsak Banja and Nikolicevo, Thermal mineral wells in Gamzigradska Banja are arranged, also there is a modern spa health care center, whereas the well in Nikolicevo is not arranged, although all the analyses point out that the water is extremely medical thermal mineral water.

The deciduous forests prevail throughout this area, common for the slopes of Deli Jovan, Stara Planina and Tupiznica. Therefore, the deciduous forest cover is most common for the following village areas: Vratarnica, Gornja Bela Reka, Lenovac, Mali Izvor, Dubocane and Glogovica. Pastures are most common throughout the areas of the villages: Velika Jasikova, Vratarnica, Veliki Izvor, Gornja Bela Reka, Gradskovo, Grljan, Glogovica, Lasovo, Mali Izvor, Metris, Nikolicevo I Rgotina. Unfortunately, this area is also known for deaquation of trees, which especially endangers the forest park Kraljevica, which stands for the so called `city lungs` of Zajecar.

                             

The city territory is rich in miscellaneous venison. This area is a home for roe deer, wild hogs, wolves, foxes, baggers, wild cats, jackals, pine martens and stone martens, rabbits, pheasants, partridges, wild pigeon, turtle doves, quails, wild ducks, hawks, magpies, grey crows etc.