Ageing of population in the countries of Transcaucasia: socio-economic aspects

Rufat Efendiyev, The National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Institute of Economy

Ageing of the population – is the most typical demographic phenomenon of a modern epoch, which is caused by a complex of the factors including features of the reproduction of population, intensity and direction of population migration, and also the demographic consequences of wars. Several years have passed already since the political changes in Eastern Europe affected also the three Republics in the Transcaucasia (South Caucasus) - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The opportunity for changes towards a market oriented economy and a democratic society has not bypassed these countries, and they are now on their way to integrate themselves into the international community. Challenges like civil conflicts, crises in the economic development and, hence, serious demographic problems, like huge flows of refugees, a decrease in birth rate and increase of the death rate of population, had to be faced by all of these countries. What are the real problems of ageing in Azerbaijan and other countries of Transcaucasia? Despite of the obvious tendency to ageing of the population, the ratio of the number of pensioners to the total population yet does not cause special anxieties. Whether it is possible to consider this as the positive factor? Whether it speaks that our anxiety about the ageing is groundless? Not entirely. As the global practice testifies, the demographic transition is inevitable, and consequently societies, as well as the governments, should accept this fact. The problem of ageing of the population in the countries of Transcaucasia, first of all, is actual for Georgia, then for Armenia and, at last, for Azerbaijan, where a situation for the present is relatively favorable.