Basic demographic processes on the Kvarner islands 1991-2011

The paper describes the basic demographic processes on the Kvarner islands in the last twenty years. The census data from this period show a constant population growth on the Kvarner islands and promote them into one of the most vital sub-regions of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The results of the analysis show that the mechanical component of the total population change, i.e. immigration, which managed to overcome the negative natural demographic trend, was the cause of this positive demographic trend. As a result, natural population change on the Kvarner islands 1991-2011 belongs to the "regeneration by immigration" type. However, since increased immigration did not influence the reduction of the negative natural demographic trend, it is safe to presume that "fictive" residents dominate the immigration contingent. This hypothesis is supported by the comparison of the census change index 2011/2001 and the type of demographic resources index in 2001