Demographic development of ukrainian rural area: lessons of history, modern socio-economic threats

The article is devoted to urgent problems of demographic development of rural areas, their impact on socio-economic processes at all levels of the national economic system. The content of demographic and economic antonyms of ?demographic development? and ?demographic catastrophe? has been characterized. The article analyzes the historical background of demographic change in rural areas, their socio-economic consequences. It’s reasonably concluded that the economic development ofUkrainerequires urgent settlement of the negative socio-demographic trends that are characteristic for a Ukrainian village. Nowadays, these trends are of a destructive nature. They lead to a protracted crisis of agricultural production which is very difficult to overcome solely with the tools of technical and technological modernization. This will complicate the food security of the state for many years; lower the level and quality of life of the population, lead to greater territorial disparities and degradation of rural areas and the marginalization of residents of Ukrainian villages.