’Polarisation through demographic change will continue to grow’

No region in Germany will be left untouched by demographic change. The consequences, however, differ from region to region. WWU - gucc No region in Germany will be left untouched by demographic change. The consequences, however, differ from region to region. In this interview with Kathrin Nolte , Dr. Christian Krajewski , a senior lecturer at the Institute of Geography at Münster University, explains the challenges facing cities and rural areas. What effects is demographic change having on the regions in Germany? Cities and regions are affected in different ways by the consequences. On the one hand we have shrinking regions: predominantly rural, peripheral regions, as well as those regions undergoing structural change such as the Ruhr Area - which are marked not only by shrinking populations due to lower birth rates and by an outflow of young people in particular, but also by an ageing population.