Original scientific paper
The Population of Maranovići on the Island of Mljet (1870-1880): The Period of Demographic Transition
Silvija Batoš
Jasenka Maslek
Nenad Vekarić
Abstract
The demographic panorama of the parish of Maranovići correlates closely with that of the Dubrovnik region, having all the specific features of an island community. Additionally, Maranovići demonstrates numerous atypical details which are the product of the economic circumstances and geographical remoteness with an over-emphasised isolation component. All demographic indicators show that between the years 1870 and 1880, in Maranovići the transition was well under way. The population increased from the beginning of the nineteenth century, the natural growth was evident, natality rates (initially lower) and mortality rates (initially higher) tended to decline, life expectancy was higher, a modest fall in infant mortality was also observed, and mean age at marriage was fairly high. Being an atypical region, the parish of Maranovići demonstrates a number of specific variables: an unusual prevalence of spring conceptions in contrast to the summer ‘halt’, higher marriage age of the first time brides than grooms, and an exceptionally high proportion of consanguineal marriages, extramarital (9.71%) and prenuptial (48.15%) conceptions, suggesting that the population of Maranovići practised ‘test marriage’.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
39128
URI
Publication date:
10.6.2009.
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