Original scientific paper
The Population of Buzet in Istria (1870-1880): The Beginning of Mortality Transition
Rina Kralj-Brassard
Jelena Obradović-Mojaš
Miroslav Bertoša
Abstract
Despite adverse circumstances in which Istrian peasants found themselves during the second half of the nineteenth century—unsettled agrarian relations, economic hardship, negligence on behalf of the Austrian administration in favour of the Italian minority—demographic indicators suggest that certain positive changes in the sense of modernisation had affected Europe and certain Croatian regions. In the period 1870-1880, Buzet demonstrated the first signs of demographic transition: from mortality decline and population increase, average natural growth rate over 10‰, to fairly high age at marriage and higher life expectancy, as evidenced by a relatively high ratio of elderly deaths. In Buzet, mortality transition began with an increased life-span and not with lower infant mortality. The conception pattern, with a noticeable decline during Lent and field work, is similar to that of Croatia on the whole, though better balanced and characterised by modest deviations. Predominance of the autumn over winter marriage peak placed Buzet in line with the regions of southern Croatia.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
39119
URI
Publication date:
10.6.2009.
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