Sociology and Space, No. 107-108, 1990.
Original scientific paper
Basic characteristics of depopulation in Croatia in the period 1953—1981
Ivica Nejašmić
Abstract
The author analyzes depopulation
in Croatia in the period 1953—1981,
giving a regional presentation and
the more important implications of
the process. It was shown that
depopulation has spread
to 5.476 settlements (82.4% of all
the settlements, 44.4% n of the
average of inhabitants and 79.9%
of the area of Croatia). The number
of inhabitants in the depopulated
group of settlements decreased by
29.4% and in 1981 was 1,566,406.
This means that only 34.0% of the
total population lived in 82.4% of
the settlements. Depopulation has
spread to most of the settlements
in all the macroregions, and the
process is the most widespread
and pronounced in Highland
Croatia and the Northern Croatian
Littoral. Population decrease
characterises 88.5% of the
rural settlements: depopulation is
the ruling demographic trend in
the rural settlements of all the
communes. Pronounced exodus
(50% and more) exists in as many
as 1,140 settlements (17.1% of the
total number), and there are most
such settlements in Highland
Croatia (35.4" (i of the total number
of settlements). Settlements with
pronounced depopulation are
almost as a rule located in the
outlying parts of communes. The
conclusion is that depopulation is
very strong in Croatia, both in
spatially and in intensity.
This corresponds to the fact that
important accompanying processes
of depopulation have also been
found. There is a marked sexual
unbalance in depopulated
settlements is comparison to the
general population, the age
structure and educational level are
more unfavourable. The external
reflection of these complex
demographic and socio-economic
processes is the landscape of
depopulation which shows signs
that "hearths are dying out".
Finally, the author concludes that
depopulation in Croatia has all the
essential features of a socially
demaging process.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
119718
URI
Publication date:
8.6.1990.
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