Population size - The indicator of the response of a local population to external pressure (A case study of the right shore of the Lipno lake area)

Cultural landscapes have developed within the process of interactions of lo cal human populations with specific natural conditions of the place these p opulations are situated in. A population actively changes the environment a nd at the same time adapts to it, but both only to a certain extent. When t he pressure of natural or cultural environment exceeds certain limits, peop le leave the area. The article is aimed at describing: the response of the local population to the extreme pressure caused by external factors. Popula tion size, i.e. the number of people residing in the model area was chosen as the basic indicator. For this ease study the local population was chosen inhabiting the area situated between the right shore of Lipno water reserv oir and the Austrian border. Two periods can be distinguished in the histor y of local population since the beginning of this century. Until 1946 the p opulation was more or less resisting to economic pressure which caused the marginal position of the area, and the number of inhabitants remained almos t unchanged. The dramatic decrease of inhabitant numbers in 1946 and later, has never been compensated, mainly due to political decisions made by the central government.