Demographic Processes of the Carpathian Region: Trends, Challenges, Problems

The aim of the article is to investigate the current problem of reproducing the demographic potential of the population in Ukraine through the example of the Carpathian region as a case study. This is done by identifying patterns and trends in demographic development in the context of the region’s economic growth, which may serve as a basis for developing forward-looking measures aimed at overcoming destructive phenomena in the formation of the region’s labor potential and addressing key economic challenges in the studied areas. The correlation analysis determined the relationships between variables using scatter plots of the empirical values with their corresponding interpretation. On the basis of factor analysis, the dominant factors of high mortality and the reduction of life expectancy of the working-age population were identified. With the help of GIS tools, the appropriate cartographic material was created. The present study is based on the use of available official statistics from Eurostat, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, and regional branches of the Main Department of Statistics. In order to track current trends in demographic processes, the correlation of the studied indicators with similar indicators of Ukraine as a whole and European countries was carried out. In the study, considerable attention is paid to socio-economic problems caused by the negative effects of depopulation. It has been found that significant losses of the male population, in combination with the forced mass migration of young people to EU countries, may in the future lead to an even more rapid decline in birth rates and a significant increase in imbalances in the gender-age structure. Significant attention has also been given to the socio-economic problems caused by the negative effects of depopulation, assuming that the war ends as soon as possible. The main methods to overcome the demographic crisis in the studied region are outlined. They consist of balancing fertility and mortality by raising social standards, promoting the formation of a middle class, strengthening family values, and introducing an active immigration policy aimed at returning Ukrainians and attracting workers from other countries to fill the gaps in the gender-age structure of the population. The analysis of destructive processes is carried out in the context of the Draft Plan for the Restoration of Ukraine and the recognition that the demographic impact of the war is significant not only during the war but also over the coming decades.