Dynamics of Demographic Indicators of the Rural Population in Azerbaijan’s Mil-Mughan Economic Region

Abstract

The Mil-Mugan economic region includes Beylagan, Imishli, Saatly, and Sabirabad administrative districts. The economic region is located in the Kura-Araz lowland, on the Mil plain, which covers the Kura and Araz rivers, and on the Mugan plain, which separates the right bank of both rivers. Sabirabad district passes into the Shirvan plain in a small area. The purpose of the study is to study the trends in the dynamics of demographic indicators among the rural population of the Mil-Mugan economic region, their impact on population growth and changes in the gender-age composition, and to identify ways to solve the emerging problems. To achieve these goals, the following tasks have been set: (1) to analyze the factors affecting the decrease in birth rates and the increase in mortality in the villages of the economic region; (2) to analyze the trends in the change in the level of births, deaths, natural growth, infant mortality, marriages and divorces from 2010 to 2024; (3) to conduct a comparative analysis of internal differences in demographic indicators in the economic region and their comparison with the average indicators for the country; (4) to study the negative impact of natural increase and decrease in marriages, high infant mortality and divorces on population growth in the region. The research was conducted using statistical methods, comparative analysis, mapping, a historical-geographical approach and periodic statistical materials of the State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan. The main results show that the economic difficulties that began in 1995 led to a decrease in the number of children born and a decrease in the growth rate of the rural population. In recent years, the decrease in the number of children born, the increase in the number of families with one or two children, the decrease in marriages and the increase in divorces have resulted in a minimal increase in the number of rural population. Although villages have been the main source of population growth in the republic for many years, they can no longer fulfil this function. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures in the economic and socio-cultural directions to ensure the growth of the population, including the rural population.