The major goal of people's policy is to form a desirable regime of reproduction
of the population, that is to say to maintain or to change the trends of the
population number and structure dynamics, intensiveness of birth and death rate,
scales and directions of migration, as well as the qualitative characteristics
of the population structure.
The natural growth of population is reducing year by year in Armenia; the birth
rate is decreasing, while the death rate increasing, and migration is going
forth at full gallop.
It is noteworthy that in 2002 the number of children born in Armenia had decreased
by 46,000 when compared with figures from 1990. The war situation, then the
post-war period, economic crisis, unemployment, social tension, and polarization
of the population made the people who had at least a little hope to earn their
living in another country left Armenia.
Studies show that between 1991 and 1994 and even later well-off families and
qualified specialists emigrated first. The number of the former group amounted
to 11-14% among all emigrants from Armenia, while the latter group equaled 15-18%.
During the period between 1991 and 2001 the population of Armenia reduced by
1,270,000 because of migration. Between the years 1991-2001, 670,000 people
left Armenia only by air transport. During the last three years 260,000 people
left Armenia, most of whom lived in the poorest conditions.
Difficult socio-economic conditions have had a negative impact on the formation
of new families. Over the last two years the annual average number of children
born in Armenia stands at 28-30,000, which is about three times less than the
index of 1980-1990. The rise in the number of divorces and absence of state
assistance to new families also have had a negative impact on the drop in birth
rate.
Government, non-governmental organizations and other structures must carry out
a comprehensive demographic policy. Instead of improving the living and educational
problems of newly formed families, only a census was implemented in this area.
The official results have not been announced yet, although statistics have been
stated by different people, many of which were absurd.
by Hasmik Poghosian