REGIONAL PATTERNS OF THE POPULATION AGEING PROCESS IN ROMANIA (1992─2021)

Population ageing has become an issue of maximum interest in developed countries. Romania is facing the acceleration of this process in the context of the post-1990 decline in fertility and the post-2000 massive emigration after 2000. The main objective is to outline regional and local disparities, starting from the hypothesis that they are due to the differentiated actions of various factors which can stimulate or slow down demographic ageing. The methodology used proposes a descriptive, typological perspective, coupled with a multivariate one. Several regional patterns of evolution, induced by specific ways of adapting to social, economic and political transition, are thus highlighted. The fast expansion in urban areas and the relative rejuvenation of the population in metropolitan areas, which expresses a population transfer induced by changes in people’s lifestyle, relocation of economic activities and increased mobility, generated much interest. At the same time, the prevalence of agricultural activities and the decline of mining shape the context of an unprecedented ageing process in areas threatened by depopulation. The paper concludes that the evolution of the ageing process is similar to that of neighbouring countries and that there are strong rural-urban disparities.