NATURAL INCREASE AND AGE-SEX STRUCTURE OF UKRAINIAN RURAL POPULATION: REGIONAL TRENDS OF INTERACTIONS

Abstract

The demographic problems of rural areas are interrelated with economic, social, and even politicalissues. Therefore, given the relevance of the topic, the article analyzes the demographic situation in ruralareas based on indicators of natural reproduction and age-sex structure of the population. It should benoted that data processing in smaller administrative entities creates advantages for monitoring positiveor critical trends and reflects a more contrasting state of the demographic situation. The research articledescribes the differentiation of the natural population growth rate at the level of administrative raions.The map «Natural increase (decrease) rate of the Ukrainian rural population in 2018» is presented forits visual display. Characteristic interregional differences in age structure can be traced on compiledhistograms. Correlation between birth rates, mortality rates, and population share in age categories:0–15, 16–59, 60 years and older is calculated to assess the interactions of natural movement and age-sexstructure. The comparison of the data of the mean and median age by regions was performed to analyzethe age structure of the rural population. The balanced sex structure in settlements is both an importantfactor and a result of the demographic situation. Therefore, the shares of the male and female populationfor each age group and in all regions of Ukraine are calculated in the process of performing the practicalpart of the research (as of 2018). Assessment of territorial differences in the demographic burden is of great social importance. The result of the analysis of the population data set in each age group showedthat the greatest demographic load exists in Chernihivska, Khmelnytska, Sumska, Vinnytska, Kyivska,Poltavska, Luhanska, Cherkaska, and Zhytomyrska regions. The obtained results of the analysis of theabove-mentioned demographic parameters are summarized in the conclusions. Based on them, areaswith a critical demographic situation in rural areas have been identified.