POPULATION SIZE CHANGE IN RURAL AREAS OF WEST POMERANIAN VOIVODESHIP IN 2011–2014

The aim of this study is to discuss changes in thepopulation and indicate the main reasons of these changes inrural areas of West Pomeranian voivodeship. The study wasconducted on the local level and based on Central StatisticalOffice data from the years 2010 to 2014. In the first part ofthe research, main demographic information is discussed. Itincludes population density, natural increase per 1000 populationand net migration per 1000 population in rural areasof West Pomeranian voivodeship. In the next part of the research,the average population growth rate was counted in theyears 2011–2014. Based on these changes, researched unitswere divided into four groups – two groups with positivechanges and two groups with negative changes. Subsequently,the main reasons of the changes in population size were analyzedin particular groups including natural increase, migration,population structure by age, level of unemployment andentrepreneurship. All indicators were designated as averagesfrom 2011 to 2014. According to the results in most of the researchunits, the net migration determined the population size.The net migration was characterized by higher absolute valuesthan natural increase. The population size changes are relatedto density. The lowest density areas are more depopulated.Moreover, the population size changes are positive related tothe level of entrepreneurship and negative related to the levelof unemployment.