All around the world, inhabitants of rural communities are relocating to urban areas, leading to a decrease in the population of the countryside. While this phenomenon may be associated with some positive effects, its drawbacks clearly prevail.
Any decrease in the population of a given area will cause significant shifts. This is true in terms of both economical effects but also in terms of general attaction of an area. For instance, with more and more people leaving villages, demand for goods and services dwindles. This will force formerly thriving businesses to shut down, which will in turn lead to additional people leaving the countryside in search of employment elsewhere. The closing of certain businesses, such as post offices or grocery shops, will at the same time lead to these areas becoming less attractive for immigrants.
In stark contrast, larger centers will come to their limits due to the rapid influx of new inhabitants. Even today, many cities are unable to offer sufficient affordable housing for their population, leading to new development on the city limits and urban sprawl. Fast-growing centers of population are further experiencing significant issues with respect to the provision of public services, as they cannot cope with heightened demand. One example for this, is that many areas already had to implement waiting lists for young families looking to sign up their children for childcare.
In conclusion, it can be noted that the shift in population from the countryside to urban centers causes substantial problems in both respective areas and, as such, should be considered a negative development.