Original scientific paper
Population Ageing as the Limitation Factor of the Demographic Development of Žumberak Region, Croatia
Ivo TURK
; Institut društvenih znanosti Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Marijan JUKIĆ
Dražen ŽIVIĆ
Abstract
Contemporary demographic development of Žumberak reflects the deeply rooted influences of very specific historical and socio-economic development. The relief dynamics with the predominant mountainous morphostructural characteristics, together with the peripheral border location and bad traffic infrastructure have had a key role in the forming of existing negative demographic situation. The long lasting processes of total depopulation, emigration of the reproductive age population, as well as decrease of natality, have very negatively affected the forming of the
structures of the population. The reduced influx of the population into fertile age, caused by emigration and reduced natality contributed the further drop of natality. The increase of the percentage of old population resulted in increased mortality. Therefore, Žumberak became the area of strong biological depopulation. The population ageing, as the main demographic process induces the further negative processes in the population dynamics and structures. The population ageing is the major obstacle in the forming of future working and fertile population contingent,
which has negative effect to the entire socio-economic development. Due to the population ageing more funds are needed for the social and health care which additionally burdens the weak economy of Žumberak an Croatia in general. The lack of basic infrastructure, insufficient employment potentials, and old population are bad starting point for revitalisation and development of the researched region.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
154998
URI
Publication date:
2.2.2015.
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