ABSTRACT
Regional development of any kind is always dependent on multitude of ‘variables’ (e.g. ISTAT, 1989; Papi 1979; Andreoli, 1989). However, there are variables that are essential for sustainable economic and regional ‘de velopment’ or ‘underdevelopment’ and the most important of these is quite naturally population (see Tellarini 1992, p. 198). Consequently most devel opment programmes aim at ‘enhancing’ the conditions where people live or in the case of serious out-migration try to look for ways of ‘stopping’ or at least significantly reducing the level of out-migration from a specific region.