Persistence of Economic Functions in Depopulating Rural Area,The Case of Qazwin Area

During the past five decades, several factors caused the considerable number of villages to be exposed to de-populating and are ultimately abandoned. of villages Considering the large size of rural depopulation, it is important to study the ways by which the economic functions of such villages can persist despite this depopulation trend. Using life cycle theory in conjunction with basic principles of applied geography and mainstream rural planning and development theories, this study has tried to investigate how the existing natural resources and other potentials of such depopulating of rural areas could be used to maintain the economic functionality of these areas despite their depopulation. This study has tested the following hypotheses: Despite the depopulation of rural areas their economic functions continues. In doing so, three different types of questionnaires (54 villages, 160 head of households living in villages and 104 immigrant households) were designed in The case of Qazwin area. Findings show that the economic functions of the depopulating rural areas have continued.