Demographic Changes in Koprivnica-Križevci County from 1857 to 2011

Analizirajući prvenstveno aktualan popis stanovništva 2011. godine iznose se određeni zaključci vezani uz demografsku problematiku Koprivničko-križevačke županije. Komparirajući popise od 1857. godine analiziraju se kvalitativna i kvantitativna obilježja stanovništva kao što su promjene u ukupnom broju i prostornom rasporedu naseljenosti, prirodna i mehanička kretanja, te struktura stanovništva. Rad problematizira metodološke elemente popisa stanovništva, te daje pregled literature.Northwestern Croatia, and in particular Koprivnica-Križevci County, is demographically a very intriguing and specific area. In analysing the population development and demographic changes of this area since the first modern population census in 1857 to the most recent censuses in 2001 and 2011, it can be concluded that the exceptionally negative trends are continuing. Namely, the demographic studies conducted by the county at the turn of the 21st century contained overly optimistic population projections. The natural and mechanical population trends are very tightly tied to economic development, and the global crisis which was difficult to account for in the assumed projections. The changes in the number and composition of the population of Koprivnica-Križevci County is the result of the changes in the socio-economic development, and the long-term negative natural growth trends and insignificant migration trends, which together have resulted in a strong depopulation of the county territory. In the most recent census period, from 2001 to 2011, not a single settlement in the county recorded population growth, which ultimately means a reduction in the overall population, reduction in the young population, increase in the elderly population, feminization of the population, reduced rural population and continued increases in the urban population. With the negative natural growth, generally poor economic prospects and processes that are deeply changing the population structure, Koprivnica-Križevci County will exclusively be revitalised through an urgent, high quality population policy that should have a pro-natality, pro-immigration and redistributive character. With Croatia’s entry into the European Union, the county will have to be prepared for new demographic changes, particularly mechanical population trends, fluctuation of the young population and problems associated with immigrant assimilation