Starenje stanovništva Varaždinske županije od 1961. do 2001.
Population Ageing in Varaždin County from 1961 to 2001

Summary/Abstract: Population ageing and depopulation are dominant demographic processes in Croatia. The paper analyzes population ageing and old age degree of Varaždin County in the 1961-2001 period on the administrative level of towns/municipalities. Emigration has had a long-lasting influence leading to negative demographic trends and population loss in many of the towns/municipalities in Varaždin County, thereby having essentially weakened their demographic base and total human potential, important for the overall development and (re)valorization of this area. Although the County has type 3 (old population) characteristics according to the level of population ageing, almost half of the towns/municipalities show characteristics of very old and extremely old population. According to 1961 census data, 25 per cent of the administrative-territorial units of Varaždin County had already passed the “critical” value of the ageing index. The 2001 data showed that the population was already in the advanced ageing stage and every fifth resident of the County was older than 60, respectively. The age structure “curtailment” of the majority of the towns/municipalities in Varaždin County will have adverse influence on (bio)reproduction and will cause further depopulation, thus representing a great obstacle for future balanced economic and social development.

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