[Population dynamics in Serbia--present status and problems at the end of the 20th century]

Population changes in Serbia in the last hundred years were very intensive in all fields of demographic development. They were positive, because the movement trend was basically up-to-date and as such responded to the needs and requirements of the problems in regard to population time. However, what was the intensity of these changes? What kinds of problems does Serbia face at the end of the 20th century? Methodology In order to establish precise data and isolate basic problems the following components were analyzed: fertility, mortality and population growth, age and ethnic distribution, migrations and spatial distribution. Data were taken from official vital statistics, censuses, censuses of people from the territory of former Yugoslavia, population projections and secondary analysis of relevant scientific findings.

Serbia is faced with a number of problems in almost all segments of demographic development at the end of the 20th century. This primarily includes dual types of reproduction, open depopulation and fast population growth, reversible mortality trends of certain age-sex groups, a large number of refugees, pronounced emigration, especially of young and educated people, and greater or smaller distortions in the territorial distribution and in the development of certain subpopulations.

Changes in population of Serbia have been intensive in all areas of demographic development giving it to a lesser or greater extent characteristics of contemporary population of developed countries. These changes, however, were either slow or began later, or too intensive and elemental, causing a series of distortions in the population development.

The existence of demographic problems poses numerous questions. The basic one is to what extent do demographic distortions slow down the development of a country as a whole; how may the extreme differences in the population fertility levels represent a source of conflict, crises and instability, to questions concerning solutions and probabilities of strong political response. However, there is no dilemma that a population policy is necessary.