Abstract
The demographic profile of the Central Bosnia Canton is shaped by emigration from Bosnia and Herzegovina and negative trends of fertility processes, which are the focus of this study. Modern fertility trends have affected the overall population and age structure, potentially leading to long-term consequences for economic growth and the overall development of the Central Bosnia Canton. Over the last two decades, the Central Bosnia Canton has lost almost 10,000 women of reproductive age, and the number of live births has halved, resulting in unfavorable fertility and biological reproduction indicators. A survey conducted on a sample of 500 respondents from the Central Bosnia Canton, as part of the project “The Impact of Contemporary Demographic Processes on the Education System in the Central Bosnia Canton”, has yielded significant insights into the socioeconomic factors that serve as the primary causes of low fertility. The ultimate objective of this study is to highlight fertility decline as a critical issue for the future of the Central Bosnia Canton.
Keywords: fertility, population, fertile age, natural depopulation