ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE POPULATION AGING PHENOMENON IN THE MOUNTAIN AND MARGINAL CONTACT AREA OF MUREȘ COUNTY BETWEEN 1992–2024. TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC POLICY DESIGN
Florin POP1 , Ștefan DEZSI2 , Andreea-Maria CRĂCIUN1 , Judith NYULAS1 , Viorel PUIU2
1 Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Geography, Doctoral School of Geography, 5-7 Clinicilor Street, Cluj-Napoca, e-mails: eflorinpop@yahoo.com, andreea.craciun@ubbcluj.ro, judit.nyulas@ubbcluj.ro
2 Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Geography, Center for Research on Settlements and Urbanism, 5-7 Clinicilor Street, Cluj-Napoca, e-mails: stefan.dezsi@ubbcluj.ro, viorel.puiu@ubbcluj.ro
ABSTRACT. – Analysis and Evaluation of the Population Aging Phenomenon in the Mountain and Marginal Contact Area of Mureș County between 1992–2024. Trends and Implications for Public Policy Design. Our study started from the premise that demographic indicators represent essential instruments for substantiating public policies and for evaluating socio-economic dynamics at national, regional, and local levels. The population, together with its age structure and the evolution of demographic dependency indicators, constitutes key reference elements in the process of developing strategies regarding the pension system, social protection, education, and the allocation
of financial resources from public budgets. At the same time, the analysis of demographic changes makes it possible to identify trends related to population aging, declining birth rates, and the intensification of migration phenomena, aspects that directly impact economic and social sustainability. In this context, the aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of relevant indicators for the demographic potential of the mountain and marginal contact area of Mureș County, identifying the evolution of the population by age groups, the demographic dependency ratio, and the old-age and youth dependency rates, as well as assessing these indicators for the substantiation of public policies. The analysis was carried out based on data provided by the National Institute of Statistics, using statistical methods of graphical and tabular representation for a clearer and more coherent interpretation of the results. The conclusions highlight the intensification of the demographic aging process and its implications for regional and local socioeconomic development, thus enabling public authorities to establish local demographic development strategies and adopt measures aimed at mitigating the negative effects of demographic aging.
Keywords: population, age pyramid, demographic structure, demographic dependency ratio, population aging.