Rozwój demograficzny Łodzi w latach 1945-1985

Abstract

The article discusses demographic relations in Łódź over a 40-year period. They appeared to be typical for a large urban centre displaying peculiar characteristics a working-class town. Textile industries tend to dominate here, indices of occupational activity of women are high, while wages are relatively low in comparison with other large cities, which is accompanied by underdevelopment of services. There Is presented the dynamics and structure of development of these phenomena also against the background of other large cities in Poland. Łódź suffered population losses during the Second World War, which were next followed by population increases in successive five-year periods. Population density is differentiated according to districts. Further analysis was focussed on the demographic and socio-occupatlonal structure of the local population, and on ruťal-urban migration and natural population movement indices. Population increase was high initially with its rates next falling reaching negativa figures. Low population increase causes that Łódź can be ranked among cities with the lowest population increase. Summing up, it can be stated that as a result of population movement, the increase in the number of Łódź inhabitants was initially due to the biological factor (1951-1960), and next (1961-1980) to a positive balance of migratory movement. Ultimately, a factor accounting for increase in the number of the city's population was a marked surplus in migratory movement.