Investigating the Demographic Situation of Iran's Border Areas and its Effect on Sustainable Security Case Study: Khuzestan Province

One of the most important and fundamental issues in order to maintain and enhance security in border areas is the issue of population. Population in border areas is an important factor for the continuity and stability of security. In order to achieve sustainable security, special attention should be paid to the demographic structure of these areas and its changes. Khuzestan province, as one of the most important border provinces of Iran, has undergone many demographic changes in recent decades and in terms of population movement in the last half century compared to other provinces in the country, has undergone major changes. The research has studied and analyzed demographic changes in Khuzestan province with a descriptive-analytical approach and has identified the harms and security issues affected by these changes. The obtained results show a decrease in population growth and an increase in emigration in this province in the last two decades. Net negative migration has a significant impact on population growth, percentage of active population, age structure, average age of marriage and household size of this province and is a serious threat to sustainable security in the region and the country. Therefore, in national and regional macro-planning, serious attention to this issue should be on the agenda.