Demographic changes in Carpathian Mountain Space: Case study: Cities from Southern Carpathians (Romania)

Abstract

Researches Review DGTH | 48-1, 1–15 | 2019 ABSTRACT: The aim of the study is to analyze the demographic changes in the cities of the Southern Carpathians. The period studied is 1993-2017. The demographic indicators by which we analyzed the demographic dynamics were: birth, mortality and natural growth. For the first two we also focused on the evolution of the number of newborns and deceased. The necessary data were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics. Their processing was done with the ARC Gis 10.3, and maps were made with the distribution of rates for each indicator. In addition to the maps, graphs of the numerical evolution of newborns and deceased have been made. The decreases in demographic values have been assimilatedwith the negative processes of the mining industry. Basically, cities in the Petroşani Coal Basin faced visible decreases of newborns, a cause being the gradual loss of industrial function. Job losses have led to the installation of insecurity of income insurance, which has been passed on to the organization of families. The entire urban area of the Southern Carpathians faces demographic dysfunctions generated by demographic changes. The natural growth in the period 1993-2017 showed that depopulation is a risk phenomenon that is being carried out in the urban environment of the Southern Carpathians.