Abstract:
The main purpose of the study is to reveal the current state and trends in the demographic development of the Dabrash karst area. The karst in the study area has a limited spatial distribution, but despite this fact, it is extremely diverse. The population with its number, demographic and social characteristics, its economic activity, indirectly influences the evolution of the karst. The current ongoing processes of depopulation, aging and migratory mobility of the population have been analyzed in the paper. The demographic and social characteristics of the population have been studied through calculation of indicators which describe the demographic structures, thus allowing the disclosure of a number of features that determine both the current state and the future development trends of the local population. The negative demographic processes occurring in the Dabrash karst area, are less manifested in comparison to Blagoevgrad district and the country as a whole. The most significant demographic problems in the area are the declining birth rates, the reduction of the number of young and working-age population, the emigration and the low level of education of the local population. These processes will have an increasing negative impact in the future, both on the demographic situation and on the overall sustainable development of the area.