Abstract
<p>This monograph presents a detailed and comprehensive regional analysis of demographic changes in Slovakia from the late nineteenth century to the first half of the twentieth century. The study focuses on the key phase of the first demographic transition, during which an irreversible shift from extensive to intensive reproduction occurred. Employing historical-demographic analysis and quantitative methods, the authors examine the dynamics and spatial differentiation of three principal demographic processes: marriage, fertility, and mortality. The analysis extends beyond demographic processes and indicators themselves by situating them within a broader socioeconomic and cultural context, including literacy, urbanization, religiosity, and ethnic composition. The monograph further addresses the development of marriage legislation, patterns of infant mortality, and the effects of modernization on the emergence of deliberate fertility regulation. Regression models are applied to identify the determinants of regional variation in demographic behavior, thereby offering a comprehensive account of the formation of a new demographic regime in Slovakia. The publication is supplemented with clearly presented statistical cartograms and comparative analyses of selected demographic indicators within a wider European context.</p>