Some young people are leaving the countryside to live in cities and towns leaving only old people in the countryside. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Every year, more and more young individuals migrate from rural areas to metropolises, leaving only the elderly behind. I would argue that the loss of the young population from the rural landscape has problematic consequences. In the upcoming paragraphs,

this

essay will put forth the negative consequences that

such

a move has not only on the local regional economies but

also

on the quality of life of overcrowded cities.

First

of all, the migration stream of young generations to cities, increases the lack of an agricultural workforce, which requires strength and stamina, qualities difficult to find in seniors.

Moreover

, the birth rates in the agricultural areas are negatively impacted by the decrease in the number of young families, which fuels the rural labour force reduction, both negatively affecting regional economies.

For instance

, there are several isolated rural towns in Spain and Italy, whose councils are offering houses for as cheap as one euro, with the aim of attracting young families to settle down, with no other intention more than boosting the local economy as well as avoiding the town’s disappearance. To continue, cities and the living condition of their inhabitants, are negatively affected by these migratory movements.

First

, newcomers to the city feed the flow that makes urban areas increasingly overcrowded.

Second

,

this

overpopulation increases the difficulties in finding job opportunities as well as rental prices, difficulties that are detrimental to the population in general. A recent study, carried out by the University of Sydney, shows that 30% of the young population from regional towns has moved to large metropolises during the

last

five years and that the price of rents in urbs has seen an increase of 25% during the same period of time. In conclusion, we can confirm that these migratory flows from the countryside to metropolises generate endless negative effects on the regional economies of rural towns, as well as on the life quality of newcomers to the big urbs.