Deruralization as a global process and its trends in Serbia

Abstract

Deruralization is a process that began with the development of industry in today's developed Western world. The abandonment of villages in Serbia started between the two world wars, only to gain more intense momentum after the Second World War. In the first decades of the 21st century in Serbia, this process reached a critical point due to the large number of abandoned villages, the aging population in the villages and the decreasing workforce capable of performing tasks in rural areas. This paper analyses the movement of the rural population in the regions of Serbia and its municipalities. The census data were processed using descriptive statistics, and the data for the entire country by municipalities were presented using the cartographic method. Finally, the problems and possible consequences of such trends in the movement of rural population were dealt with. Possible ways of revitalizing rural areas were also emphasized.