Original scientific paper
Demographic Situation and Processes in Non-Urban Settlements in the Republic of Croatia
Ivo NEJAŠMIĆ
Maja ŠTAMBUK
Abstract
Contemporary demographic features and processes in non-
-urban settlements in Croatia are analysed in this paper. It
has been determined that this group of settlements registers
constant depopulation. Among the causes of depopulation
the authors have included war which had a strong impact on
the further deterioration of unfavourable processes in the
early 1990s. A sharp decrease was registered in the number
of inhabitants of non-urban settlements. Vital statistics data
indicate that homogenization occurred on a very low birth-
-rate level, i.e. that differences in birth-rate according to the
type of residential settlement have disappeared. The death-
-rate is stable but on a much higher level than in the overall
population. In the non-urban group of settlements the
negative rates of natural change are much higher than in the
overall population. In that particular group the relative net
migrational balance is twice as high as in the general population. There is a pronounced lack of inhabitants in the
20 to 54 age-group. The population of non-urban
settlements is marked by a very old demographic age.
However, this is a feature of the population in general. The
population age pyramids of inhabitants of non-urban
settlements and the overall population are very similar. The
shape of the pyramid has been transformed into a lopsided
"column" with a narrowed (eroded) lower part. The entire
human potential is being reduced which is a great obstacle
to the social and economic development of non-urban
settlements. The authors conclude that it is necessary to take
measures for achieving a more balanced regional
development and continue to mention some of them. Such a
system of measures would have the effect of slowing down
unfavourable demographic trends and alleviating the
consequences.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
19496
URI
Publication date:
31.8.2003.
Visits: 2.534 *