Assessment Of Sustainability Of Demographic Development Of Mountain Areas (On The Example Of The Upland Shirvan Economic Region)

Abstract

The paper deals with the study of the sustainability of demographic development and processes going in mountain areas of Azerbaijan on the example of its Upland Shirvan region. This mountain region for long has been known as one of lagging economic regions of Azerbaijan, having the lowest urbanization rate and problem of out-migration. The demographic situation regarding many settlements of the region is not satisfactory at modern times as well. Upland Shirvan still faces continuous out-migration of the population. This process is observed both in cities and the countryside. Sustainability of demographic development is challenged while tens of settlements here have faced depopulation. This study aims at assessing the sustainability of demographic development of the region of Upland Shirvan, based on the analysis of geographical features of resettlement, formation and distribution of settlements and village groups, population growth, migration and socioeconomic factors. The work defines tendencies going by the population growth and makes attempt to identify the risk of further depopulation of settlements in the region.