Procesi i trendovi u razvoju stanovništva (napose strukturnom) nameću se značajnim okvirom ili odrednicom gospodarskoga razvoja. Oni su istodobno i razmjerno pouzdani indikatori ukupne društveno-gospodarske razvijenosti na nekom prostoru. Sociodemografski indikatori analizirani i prikazani u ovome prilogu važni su za ocjenu dosegnute razine društveno-gospodarske razvijenosti Hrvatske, ali i regionalnih aspekata toga razvoja s obzirom na signifikantne razlike koje u vrijednosti pojedinih indikatora postoje među hrvatskim županijama. Kao reprezentativni sociodemografski indikatori na razini Hrvatske i županija izdvojeni
su: indeks promjene broja stanovnika izme|u 1991. i 2001. godine, indeks starenja, koeficijent ukupne dobne ovisnosti, opća stopa aktivnosti ukupnog stanovništva, stopa zaposlenosti, stopa nezaposlenosti i “indeks obrazovanosti”. Rangirajući županije prema navedenim indikatorima, može se ustanoviti njihova hijerarhija, s dva jasno istaknuta pola: Međimurskom i šibensko-kninskom županijom. Prema većini izdvojenih sociodemografskih indikatora, naročito s obzirom na op}u stopu aktivnosti, indeks starenja te stopu zaposlenosti i nezaposlenosti, Međimurska se županija može apostrofirati kao županija s najvišom dosegnutom razinom
društveno-gospodarske razvijenosti, i to kako u odnosu na druge hrvatske županije, tako i u odnosu na Hrvatsku u cijelosti.The processes and trends in the population development (especially in
structural development) became the very important determinant of the economic development. Those processes are also relatively reliable indicators of total socio – economic development in certain region. Socio – economic indicators, analysed and shown in this paper are important for evaluation of the reached level of socio – economic development of Croatia. The mentioned indicators
are also important for the evaluation of regional socio – economic
development of Croatia, due to significant differences in certain indicators among Croatian counties. The following representative socio – demographic indicators for both, Croatia in general and Croatian counties are selected: index of population change for the period 1991 – 2001, index of ageing, coefficient of total age dependence, general rate of activity of total population, employment
rate, unemployment rate and “index of education”. By ranking the
counties according to the mentioned indicators, the hierarchy with two clearly defined poles can be established. Those poles are Me|imurje county and Šibenik – Knin county. With the consideration of the most of selected socio – economic indicators, especially general activity rate, index of ageing and rates of employment and unemployment, the county of Međimurje can be shown as the county with the highest level of socio – economic development, in relation
to other Croatian counties, as well as to Croatia in general
