THE TRANSFORMATION IN THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION OF UKRAINE IN THE YEARS 2001-2021: GENDER AND INTERREGIONAL ASPECTS

Abstract

The territorial and gender differences of the transformational process in the age structure of the Ukrainian population during the 20-years’ period are analyzed in the article. The key factors and tendencies in age structure in various regions are determined. The comparative analysis of its changes among urban and country-side population is performed. The general tendency characterizing the age structure of the urban and country-side population of Ukraine is pointed out – that is the decrease in the share of the younger than active work force, and the increase in the share of the senior citizens. In the present-day structure of the urban population every fourth citizen represents the 60+ age group. The differences in the degree and intensity of aging of the rural and urban population are shown. The index of aging among urban population is much higher and makes 175,6% against 146,9% on the rural territory. The intensification of the process of demographic aging by gender is proven. In 2021, in the total number of population of Ukraine the share of men in the 60+ age group was 36,1%, while the share of women of the same age group was 63,9%. In the years 2001- 2021, the share of women at post-workable age grew to 29,5% of the total number of female population, and that of men grew to 19,3% of the total number of male population. The growth in the share of women and men at post-workable age in the urban area and its decline in the rural area are indicated. Interregional differences in the transformational process in the age structure of the Ukrainian population are defined. The smallest share of the citizens in post-workable age is observed in Volyn, Rivne, and Transcarpathean regions. The biggest share of the citizens in post-workable age is observed in Luhansk, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, and Poltava regions. The chare of the workable age citizens is growing in 22 administrative units of Ukraine. The consequences of the transformation in the age structure of population are evaluated. The hypothesis has been proven that the age structure changes are correlated with the share of women at reproductive age, and demographic load. The decrease in the share of workable population was caused by the decrease in the share of women at reproductive age from 48,4% to 43,4%. In the years 2000 – 2021 the demographic load on the workable population grew mainly due to the older age group population (in 2021 the demographic load difference between children and the retired was 148 people). The demographic load on the workable population is 7,8% higher in the rural area than in the urban. The attention is drawn to the necessity of taking into consideration territorial peculiarities in the process of transformation in the population age structure when substantiating national programs and measures of active demographic policy. The regions of Ukraine characterized by low economic development are facing the biggest hardships in the adaptation process towards the changes of population age structure. Key words: transformation in the age structure of population, urban and rural population, demographic aging, demographic load.