Abstract:

The data of the 2002 population census on refugee population are analyzed in this paper with a basic aim to determine the significance (contribution) of refugee corpus in demographic development of the Republic of Serbia. By analyzing the data, it has been determined that the refugee corpus does not significantly differ from the domicile population in the basic, above all, demographic and other qualitative characteristics. The differences which can be noticed with certain (primarily socio-economic) characteristics, due to the proportionally small participation of refugee persons in relation to the total (domicile) population, could not significantly influence the total demographic, socio-economic and other characteristics of the population of central Serbia and Vojvodina. The most significant contribution of refugee (classifying the refugee corpus in the country's total population) is reflected in the mitigation of the depopulation trend, namely population growth, not only both micro-entities, but also lower, administrative-territorial entities (districts) depending on the enumerated refugee population in them. However, population projections indicate that by the middle of this century (2050) the positive effects of the basically larger number of inhabitants will be lost caused by the inflow of refugee population.

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