Demographically depressed areas in Croatia: What should population policy be like?
Authors: Mrdjen Snjezana , Maric Ivan 
Published: January 2019

Population aging, as well as general depopulation, represents the most
important demographic process in the Republic of Croatia, which is
characterized by a high degree of aging. The results of this research show
that the aging process is present at a large scale in Croatia, though there
are differences in the values of various indicators of population aging in
relation to regional differences. The aim of this research was to identify
settlements which were demographically revitalized, demographically old or
demographically depressed areas among 6,606 Croatian settlements. The
analysis was made by utilizing 11 variables for 6,606 settlements (while
ignoring those settlements which had no population at all): three variables
related to total population change (growth rate, migration and natural change
in the last intercensal period 2001-2011); seven variables related to
demographic aging based on the results of 2011 census (mean age, the
percentage of population aged 0-14, the percentage of population aged 65 or
over, the percentage of population aged 75 or over, the percentage of
population aged 80 or over, aging index, old age dependency ratio) and the
demographic corrective variable related to the population of settlements in
2011. All these variables were compared to the mean values at the level of
the Republic of Croatia in order to generate the model of demographically
depressed areas (iddp): extremely depressed areas, weakly depressed areas,
areas of the impending demographic depression, non-depressed areas and
extremely non-depressed areas. Additionally, the use of GIS tools allowed the
analysis of distance between demographically old settlements and healthcare
centres, which provided information about whether those settlements were
isolated or not according to the given standard of distance. The results show
that a relatively better demographic situation is present in continental
areas and coastal areas near larger cities. Most settlements in those areas
belong to the non-depressed group or the group of the impending depression.
Demographic situation is especially unfavourable in Karlovac County,
Sisak-Moslavina County and the interior of Dalmatia and Istria. In other
words, there are 3,300 settlements in Croatia characterized by demographic
depression, which is equal to 50% of the total number of settlements. Those
settlements take up 50% of Croatia?s total area and 8% of its total
population (324,000). All these settlements have rural characteristics, they
are poorly populated and spatially isolated. As much as three-quarters of
those settlements are outside of their respective healthcare centres within
15-kilometre range. Additionally, nearly three-quarters of those settlements
are characterized by the latest stage of demographic aging (most advanced
demographic age). In many of those settlements, age pyramids have been
inverted due to a significant reduction in their population as well as a high
degree of aging. Those settlements can no longer (bio) dynamically
regenerate. Those areas can no longer be revitalized by means of immigration
either. Instead, it is necessary for the state to engage in providing
(long-term) social and health care, not merely in its own institutions, but
in people?s homes as well, in order to ameliorate the effects of demographic
aging and depopulation and to provide the elderly population with quality and
dignity in their old age.