Spatial demographic inequalities and regional development in Serbia

Abstract

The study provides a comprehensive data analysis of demographic and socio-economic characteristics in Serbian regions as factors of uneven regional development. The data were provided by the official population censuses from 1953 to 2011. The study uses the following demographic indicators: population; the index of population change; population density; the share of migrants in the total population; the share of 65+ population; and the average age of the population. The indicators of the regions’ socio-economic development were as follows: the level of development of cities and municipalities; the share of uneducated population; the share of the population with secondary and higher education; the share of welfare recipients; the share of employed population; the share of computer illiterate persons; and the share of the unemployed. The research results have shown significant regional discrepancies: Belgrade, Kosovo and Metohija regions are economically prosperous regions, attractive for migrants from other parts of Serbia, the situation is quite the opposite in Southern and Eastern Serbia, characterized by the outflow of the population and economic underdevelopment, especially in the border areas. The other two regions are within the two extremes, Vojvodina being closer to Belgrade and Šumadija and Western Serbia, to Southern and Eastern Serbia.