https://maps.depopulacija.rs/altitudinal-trends-of-demographic-aging/content/
The indicator Population Age Structure by Altitude Zones, 2011 is used to establish to what extent the distribution of age categories, primarily the elderly population, is determined by a change in the terrain hypsometry. The following datasets were used to calculate the indicator: EU-DEM v1.1 [European Environment Agency, 2016], “2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia (BOOK 2): AGE AND SEX” [Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2012]; GeoSrbija [Open data of the National Data Infrastructure, Republic Geodetic Authority, n.d.].
Serbia is a predominantly hilly country. The average altitude is 459 m; the altitude increases towards the peripheral and southern parts of the country, with some spatial differences within areas. The population of Serbia is classified as extremely old, which is manifested by a small or constantly decreasing share of youth (up to 14) and a continuously increasing share of elderly (over 65). Southeast Serbia is characterized by the oldest population. Population concentration is usually higher in lower areas, along river valleys and roads, while peripheral mountainous areas are the most demographically endangered.
Based on the insight into the indicator values for a selected spatial unit, it is possible to identify the settlements that are the most endangered, and thus directly exposed to depopulation. In some municipalities located in hilly and mountainous areas, the reciprocity between the average altitude and the share of the elderly population is very distinct: the increase in altitude is associated with the linear increase in the elderly population. In other municipalities in lower areas, this causal relationship is less pronounced. Minor disparities are observed in the territory of Vojvodina, which is marked by a homogeneous settlement structure in terms of morphometry, settlement type and population features. It is possible to monitor the distribution of other age categories (groups 0–14, 15–39, 40–65, 65+), and to analyse the relationships between them.
<aside> 📝 Incomplete spatial coverage of the indicator values is a consequence of limitations in the used data sources: lack of administrative boundaries of settlements and age groups data for the territory of Kosovo and Metohija as well as incomplete population data for the municipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac.
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Preuzimanje podataka / Download data
<aside> *️⃣ All references to Kosovo shall be understood in full compliance with UNSC Resolution 1244 (1999).
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This web site has been produced with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) support, within the Depopulation Data Challenge Call. The contents of this site are the sole responsibility of the team “Geoanalitičari” and do not necessarily reflect the views of UNDP, UNFPA, nor GIZ.
