ESPACE-POPULATIONS-SOCIETES

France (Lille) 01

1998 ? NUMBER 3

Population Transformations in Central and Eastern Europe

99.01.1 - French - Alain MONNIER, INED, 133, bd Davout, 75980 Paris Cedex 20 (France)

Eastern Europe: A conjunction of exceptional demographic circumstances (Europe de l'Est : une conjoncture d?mographique exceptionnelle) (p. 323-338)

This article raises one issue from the demographic evolution in Central Europe and the states of the former USSR since the political and socioeconomic changes. It then endeavours to answer two questions: Do these shocks constitute the continuation of tendencies prior to the changes? Do they demonstrate the irresistible diffusion of the Western European model? In other words, is it a question of whether the combined movement is largely independent of the social conjunction? The observations presented suggest that the demographic shocks in Eastern Europe illustrate the demographic impact of the transition toward a market economy. Simultaneously, they reveal the old structural weaknesses, which are well known in the case of the death rate. (EASTERN EUROPE, COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDANT STATES, POPULATION SITUATION, POPULATION DYNAMICS)

99.01.2 - French - Jean-Paul SARDON, INED, 133, bd Davout, 75980 Paris Cedex 20 (France)

Fertility, political changes and transition to market economy in Eastern Europe (F?condit?, bouleversements politiques et transition vers l'?conomie de march? en Europe de l'Est) (p. 339-360)

The collapse of socialist regime and the transition to market economy, in the so-called Eastern countries, are reflected, almost everywhere, in a rapid decrease of Total Fertility Rates, even if, in some countries, such as former Czechoslovakia, indices very temporarily increase. In former GDR and Romania, the impact of transition is spectacular, but determinant elements are different: fall of the wall in GDR, liberalisation of abortion in Romania.

Deep reasons of this decreasing fertility, especially at high fertility ages and for first birth-order, are not well known, even if economic crisis after the disbanding of CMEA, increasing unemployement and reduction of social budgets exert a depressive influence. In these countries, people are confronted not only with an adaptation crisis to the new rules of society, but with a real cultural revolution: the Eastern family pattern comes into conflict with new economic requirements. (EASTERN EUROPE, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY, FERTILITY DECLINE)

99.01.3 - English - Alicja SZAJNOWSKA-WYSOCKA, University of L?dz, Institute of Economic Geography and Spatial Organization, Al. Kosiuszki, 21, 90-418 L?dz (Poland)

Demographic change of population during the transition period in Poland (p. 361-369)

On the background of demographic changes in Poland since 1989 concerning population, fertility, death rate and internal migration, the author presents projection of population in Poland 1996-2020 which will cover the following: change in demographic structures and territorial differences in a prognosis of changes of the population structure. (POLAND, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY, POPULATION PROJECTIONS)

99.01.4 - French - Jitka RYCHTARIKOVA, D?partement de d?mographie et de g?od?mographie, Facult? des Sciences, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2 (Czech Republic)

Recent health transition in the Czech Republic (La transition sanitaire r?cente de la R?publique tch?que) (p. 371-379)

The Czech Republic has not known the mortality increase observed in other ex-communist countries during the transition period. On the contrary, since 1991, mortality decrease has intensified. A favorable turnover has been noticed for adults and the elderly, the latter due to fast decrease in mortality from circulatory diseases. Male survival improvement has been more important particularly in regards to the previous unfavorable male mortality patterns. The increase in life expectancy at birth between 1989 and 1996 by 2.26 years for males and 1.86 years for females was due to a decline in mortality due to circulatory diseases (an increase of life expectancy at birth by 1.05 years for males and by 0.98 years for females). Only the mortality decline from heart attacks has resulted in the increase of mean length of life by 0.65 years for males and by 0.32 years for females. The mortality analysis by marital status made by a method of multiple indirect standardization (intensity regression model) has shown deeper differences according to marital status for males than for females. The lowest mortality level has been observed for married people. Divorced males and single females displayed the worst survival patterns. In the period 1985-1996, inequalities in mortality by marital status have been widening due to a faster mortality decline of married people. Regional perspectives have revealed that spatial distribution of mortality patterns has not changed; the highest mortality in NorthWest Bohemia contrasts with the lowest level in South-East Moravia including the Eastern and South-Eastern part of Bohemia. (CZECH REPUBLIC, MORTALITY DECLINE, CAUSES OF DEATH, LIFE EXPECTANCY, DIFFERENTIAL MORTALITY)

99.01.5 - English - Etelka DAROCZI, Department of Economic Geography, Budapest University of Economic Sciences, H-1093 Budapest (Hungary)

E-mail : etelka.daroczi@foldr.bke.hu

Residential moves within Hungary 1985-1996 (p. 381-388)

This paper documents changes of permanent residential mobility within Hungary between 1985 and 1996, with a special emphasis on its regional pattern and hierarchical structure. The period prior to the change of regime in 1989 and is compared to what happened afterward. Permanent migration flows among seven regions and three settlement classes are analysed. This approach enables the study of changes over time in "downward", "horizontal" and "upward" inter-settlement migration. The analysis concludes that while the post-1989 period only witnessed a moderate decrease in the (usually low) intensity of permanent migration, it produced remarkable changes in its spatial pattern. These changes are characterized by regional deconcentration and hierarchical decentralization of residential moves. The major component of this process is the sweeping growth of suburbans around Budapest. (HUNGARY, RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY, INTERNAL MIGRATION)

99.01.6 - French - Fran?ois-Olivier SEYS, Universit? de Lille-I, U.F.R. de G?ographie, avenue Paul Langevin, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex (France)

Transition and new demographic dynamics: The example of the Republic of Karelia (Transition et nouvelles dynamiques d?mographiques : l'exemple de la R?publique de Car?lie) (p. 389-404)

Since the collapse of Communism, the Republic of Karelia has been undergoing a demographic crisis, parallel to that in Russia, which is characterised by harsh modification of transverse indicators of demographic dynamics such as fertility, mortality, and marriage rates. These found expression in growth of the internal disparities at the "rayons" level and also in modification of the fertility and mortality factors. Even though before the transition, in the aggregate, the differences had tallied with opposition between town and country, it is actually more complex and it is possible to catch a glimpse of the new explanatory variables, such as the ethnic dimension, as well as geographic dimensions such as the proximity of the Finnish border or the remoteness of Petrozavodsk, the capital. (KARELIA, POPULATION DYNAMICS, POPULATION SITUATION, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY)

99.01.7 - English - Ludek SYKORA and Zdenek CERMAK, Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2 (Czech Republic)

City growth and migration patterns in the urban development of Prague from the 'communist' to the 'transition' period (p. 405-416)

This article presents the role of migration in the development of the Prague agglomeration from the end of the 19th century up to the recent past. With the collapse of Communism, the nature of migratory movement has been modified. By designating three concentric rings named "city centre", "Communist Prague", and "peri-urban ring", one can observe before 1989 a convergence of movement from the city centre and the peri-urban ring toward Communist Prague. Actually the movements have changed and, for instance, the peri-urban ring receives population from the two other areas of the agglomeration. (CZECH REPUBLIC, CAPITAL CITY, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, INTERNAL MIGRATION)

99.01.8 - English - Edwin BAKKER, Peace Research Center, Faculty of Policy Studies, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9108, 6500 HK Nijmegen (Netherlands)

The development of the Slovakia's Hungarian population and its habitat (p. 417-430)

Since they became a minority in 1918/1920, the number of Hungarians in Slovakia and the shape and size of the region they inhabit have change significantly. These changes were mainly caused by this century's main dramatic historical events. The paper gives an overview of these events and focuses on their specific impact on the size and spatial distribution of the Hungarian minority. Ensuing, it investigates the Hungarian region and the Hungarian character of this region, which is referred to in the paper as the Hungarian habitat. A reflection on the impact of the radical political and economic changes of the post-communist era on the size and habitat of the Hungarian minority constitute the final part of this paper. (SLOVAKIA, HUNGARY, ETHNIC MINORITIES, HISTORY, POPULATION DYNAMICS, HABITAT)

99.01.9 - English - Ute BAUER, Institut f?r Geographie, Universit?t Postdam, Postfach 60 1553, 14415 Postdam (Germany), and Hans-Joachim B?RKNER, Geographisches Institut, Goldschmidtstr. 5, 37077 G?ttingen (Germany)

The spatially concentrated settlement of ethnic Germans (Aussiedler) ? An opportunity for integration? Experience from a model project in Brandenburg (p. 431-440)

In the beginning of the mass immigration of Ethnic Germans (commonly called Aussiedler) from the former Soviet Union, only the Western lands of the Federal Republic of Germany were confronted with rising numbers of them. From the early 1990s on, however, the new lands of Eastern Germany were impacted, too. The governments of the lands as well as the local communities were forced to deal with intense problems of accommodating the newcomers. In view of empty treasuries, the social integration of Aussiedler was a serious task which was made more difficult in a time of increasing hostility against foreigners. Only a few new concepts of social integration were developed during the following years. One of them draws on the idea of bringing about integration by means of concentrated settlements of this minority. The article first gives a short view of the legal, political and social situation of the Aussiedler population living in the province of Brandenburg. Then it presents preliminary results from a field study on the social and economic effects of a new settlement project for Aussiedler in Brandenburg. The housing estate in question is located in geographical isolation close to a small town, some 80 kilometres south of Berlin. A description is given of the difficult economic and social situation of Aussiedler living in an area where unemployment rates have reached more than 20%. Especially, their social contacts to both indigenous Germans and other Aussiedler are regarded. Also, social structures inside of the settlement are analysed, showing a strong isolation and tendencies of retreat to close circles of contact. Finally, the main advantages and disadvantages of the settlement project -- from the point of view of the Aussiedler -- are discussed. (GERMANY, IMMIGRANTS, MIGRANT ASSIMILATION, ETHNIC GROUPS, POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS, SOCIOLOGY)

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