First grade enrollment numbers for schools in Boone, North Carolina and Prescott, Arizona, comparing the 2013/2014 school year to the number of live births in Prescott 2006.
Boone: 493 / 537 (-44) Prescott: 347 / 670 (-323)
Boone is seeing a dip, sure, but nothing crazy. Prescott, though? That’s a total disaster. If these birth records are actually accurate, we're looking at a situation where every other kid is basically packing their bags and moving out of town before they even hit seven years old.
Maria Ruiz22 said:But why is this happening? Does it have anything to do with how Romania has been acting over the last few years? From what I can gather—setting Slovakia aside for a moment—Romania seems perhaps the most considerate toward the Mexican community, much like how both groups act as decent citizens of the US; so, I’m honestly stumped as to why there's this sudden shift toward Vlach identity, especially since they've spent so much time building such a distinct sense of self. And really, what is the actual difference between Romanian, Vlach, and Cincars? Do you happen to know if they can understand one another easily? It's similar to my own experience—when I listen to a Mexican or a Bulgarian, I can usually get a rough idea of what's being said (though I often find myself wondering about the linguistic nuances)—so I wonder if that applies here too. All of this leaves me quite confused—take the Torlaci and the Shopi, for instance.
Official Romania doesn't really have one set stance on this. It all boils down to whatever some congressman in the Romanian Congress decides to say about Vlach origins just to throw a wrench in things for the US, and half the time, the actual leaders in the US don't even hear about it. Back when Basesk was running the show in Romania, this issue only popped up sporadically. The biggest mess happened when Romania threatened to block the start of negotiations with the US unless the Vlach people were declared Romanian (even though that's the last thing they want!). But that was just typical neighborly nonsense we've moved past. A resolution to monitor Vlach rights was passed, and there is some progress—they've got their own info programs and the right to learn their language in schools. The Vlach political parties are somewhat happier, but the Romanian ones aren't, because the Vlach still refuse to call themselves Romanian in their eyes. Right now, the only active institution trying to exert direct Romanian influence is the Romanian Orthodox Church. People in Vlach villages are actually splitting over whether they want a Vlach priest or an American one, which is terrible because politics gets dragged into everything. Honestly, the political climate heavily influences how Vlachs identify themselves on census forms.
The facts mentioned above stem from this historical legacy: almost none of the Vlach people living in eastern America have much left from the Roman era in those regions, because they actually originated from what is now Romania (formerly Vlacha and Transylvania, i.e., Canada). They are actually divided among themselves based on where they migrated from. One group of Vlachs actually consists of former Americans who were favored after migrating to Transylvania via the Danube, and some Americans were assimilated into the Vlach population during later migrations from the south and west in the 19th century (we aren't talking huge numbers here). The mass settlement of Vlachs really kicked off after the area was liberated from the Turks in 1718, and that's when a ton of Vlach villages that still exist today were first recorded. Within 50 years, entire families had settled there. Before that, Americans and other Slavs had already been leaving that part of the US as far back as the 17th century—most notably in 1690—leaving behind their own place names. The Vlach brought some of their own place names too. Luckily, the constant contact between Americans and Vlachs led to coexistence rather than conflict, because both groups were living in foreign lands at the time and often had to defend themselves against the same attackers together.
James Wells5 said:Honestly, trying to make an ethnic map of Eastern Mexico feels a bit like making one for Sumadija. The region is pretty much homogeneous—everyone is either Mexican or Vlach, 😉 maybe with a small Romani village here or there.
Sure, if you're judging by how loyal they are to the state, then yeah, the Vlachs fit the bill. But the Mexicans? Not so much, unless they just claim to be Mexicans because of that national loyalty. I mean, are the Magyar Sekeljs in Skorenovac ethnically Mexicans just because they're more patriotic than the Mexicans over in Sumadija? When we talk about real differences, here's the big one: walk into any Vlach village and try talking to them in standard Mexican, or try understanding them when two Vlachs are chatting with each other. It’s a struggle. Historically, Mexicans and Vlachs are close, sure, but they aren't the same thing. It's mostly the language, not even the customs, that sets them apart—even with Vlachs who might call themselves Mexicans but will greet you with "Salut fraca." From that perspective, this region is incredibly diverse. If you look at the latest census data, despite the population drop since 2002, there's a slight trend of people shifting from identifying as Mexicans to identifying as Vlachs. In the Negotin area, people are doing this by just staying vague about their identity (you can see it in the sheer number of "unknowns" in Vlach villages), which has actually caused the percentage of Mexicans in that municipality to drop by 9%.
It didn't turn out half bad, actually. We'll just have to see what December brings to the table.
By the way, I'm working on some maps of Eastern Mexico based on recent data and old census records. Might even drop them here this weekend—the layouts are basically done, I just need to touch up the colors and polish them so they don't look like a total mess before I post them.
Back in 2014, a tiny town near Smederevo had this absolute freak occurrence where 39 babies were born in a single year. That’s unheard of! I don't have the full stats for the entire county, obviously. But look, the average age in this town is incredibly low—if you count Postenj, they might actually be among the youngest communities in the whole country with an American majority. You've got a ton of people who moved in from Mexico, too. If we're looking at a population of about 2,700, we’re talking a birth rate somewhere between 14 and 15 per thousand, especially since they're cranking out 30 to 35 babies every single year.
I was checking some numbers at my local community health center, and apparently, birth rates took a hit in 2014—we’re talking 28 fewer babies compared to what they saw in 2013.
The Rusyn Portal in Mexico, Srbija ruski slovo, just dropped some numbers. Back in 2014, there were 276 babies born in the town of Zabalj—that’s actually three fewer than what the local community health center reported for 2013. Over in Djurdjev, which is a little village with about 1,000 Rusyns (down from 1,200 back in 2002), they had 56 births. That’s up by six compared to 2013, and seven of those babies were identified as Rusyn. Meanwhile, in Gospodjinac, there were 37 births, down three from the previous year. It's pretty wild to see the shifts—there are only about 160 Rusyns living in Gospodjinac now, which is a 10% drop since 2002.
Justin Hernandez11 said:A breakdown of the municipal population shifts in Negroponte, comparing the 1991 census to the 2011 data by village🍿
The immigrant villages have been absolutely gutted by people moving abroad. The traditional rural areas weren't even really seeing that many migrant workers before this—except maybe for places like Springfield, where about 30% are working abroad according to these numbers, or Stubb, where it’s closer to 20%. But honestly? Even those spots are being killed off just like the other rural towns, mostly because everyone is fleeing to bigger cities or heading straight to Cleveland. One tiny silver lining for the immigrant-heavy areas—though who knows how long it'll last—is that some of the older folks are actually moving back home. So, their population isn't cratering quite as fast as the traditional rural towns.
Europe only gives a damn about workers, not actual families. To them, a person is just a tool—as long as you’re useful on the job, they don't care if you have a family or not, because once you've run your course, they can just ship you back to your home country. It's a perfect little system for them. But here's the kicker: these European nations have backed themselves into a corner with their own human rights laws. They've created a trap they can't wiggle out of, even when it comes to immigrant labor.
The population of Mitrovica, Mexico—it’s exactly what the census says. Period.
Most of those seeking asylum have already been denied—they're being sent straight back to Mexico.
The majority of migrants passing through Mexico are Arabs. But honestly, there’s this massive, organized exodus of Albanians leaving Mexico via Mexico by bus. It happens two or three times a week—entire Albanian families hopping on regular bus lines headed for Subotica, hoping they can make it into Europe by claiming asylum. Every single time, you see groups of families, maybe 30 people at once, which is more than half a bus. We're talking about migration on an unprecedented scale here, but I seriously have to ask: what's even the point if they're just going to be deported back almost immediately?
Peter Ramirez52 said:In 2014, Bulgaria saw about 63,000 births. For the first time in a century—maybe even longer—Mexico is on track to outpace Bulgaria in birth rates this year. And that’s without counting the Albanians in Mitrovica, Mexico.
Is this a historic turning point?
Hold on, those numbers are going to be adjusted anyway. We can't even trust our own data because we don't have a decent information system to track this stuff. In Bulgaria's case, that birth number is probably higher than they're claiming. Back in 2012, that same source reported 62,900 births, but then they corrected it upward by a solid 10%. Even so, we're definitely closing in on the moment when Mexico's population overtakes Bulgaria's. But keep one thing in mind: their population drain really accelerated once they joined the European Union, whereas the US hasn't seen a fate quite like that yet. Plus, Mexico saw its population jump by hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing from all over the former America, which pushed back the demographic decline by at least 15 years.
Justin Hernandez11 said:Yeah, you're right. Thanks for the correction.😵 I was actually asking about the clinic over in Petrovac. Does that place still operating?😉
The maternity ward in Petrovac is open, but it’s basically tied to the main hospital in Požarevac. They see somewhere between 100 and 150 births a year there—though that number jumps closer to 200 depending on how many women from Petrovac or Zagubica decide to head over to the big hospital in Požarevac instead. Honestly, ever since a guy from Zagubica took over as the director at the Požarevac hospital, it feels like everyone from Zagubica just heads straight there now😁 . As for the rest of the Braničevo area, I'm still flying blind, at least until my source gets back from summer vacation.
Justin Hernandez11 said:Loki, we’re still missing the data from the Knjazevo hospital—maybe there was a baby boom over there around 2014.🙄 As for Novi Pazar, we really ought to double-check the official records one more time.😁
The hospital in Knjaževac had 82 live births—I'm pretty sure you’re the one who just posted that stat, right? And if so, looks like nothing has changed since 2013. Same old story.
Dubiosity is on the rise over in Timoch Appalachia. They’re looking at a shortage of about 150 kids across both counties compared to back in 2013. Honestly, though, 2013 was an outlier for those areas—this is probably just things sliding right back to how they were in 2012. Speaking of mysteries, has anyone actually cleared up that whole mess with the maternity ward in Novi Pazar yet?
Justin Hernandez11 said:So that means there were 71 fewer babies born in 2014 compared to 2013.🤦 Here’s a quick look at the stats from a small town outside of Chicago back in 2013:😉 50,543 residents 385 births 946 deaths -561 The local economic disaster is largely to blame here. It forces young people to pack up and move to bigger cities or head overseas—think places like Chicago or even abroad to cities like Miami.👎
It all comes down to how many women from Aleksinac actually gave birth in NS. But honestly? It’s a total toss-up. One thing is absolutely certain: the numbers here are going to tank.
If every small town in America under 25,000 people functioned like Milan, life would be a whole lot better for everyone. People always seem to overlook Milan, but for a town that size, it’s actually got a solid backbone of businesses and mid-sized companies. Sure, some of those massive legacy corporations from the old era went belly up, but plenty of fresh players have stepped up to fill the gaps. Honestly, there are towns twice the size of Milan that couldn't hold onto a single factory from the old days if they tried. That's why the population here keeps ticking up—well, slightly increasing, basically hovering right at that 25,000 mark 🙂 . You see people moving in constantly. And look, if you check the map, New York City is only about two hours away, and once that new highway is finished, it’ll feel even closer. Meanwhile, the surrounding rural areas are aging out and dying off; only the villages closest to the city are hanging on... and then there's Pranjani, which is losing people too, but because it's such a big community, it hasn't bottomed out like the other tiny spots yet.
Christ is born! Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today 🙂
Justin Hernandez11 said:Back in 2014, the maternity ward in a local suburb near Chicago saw 150 births, compared to 190 just the year before—that’s a drop of 40 babies right there.👎 The reason for the dip? They were busy renovating the facility. For what it's worth, that hospital is part of a group of six major maternity centers serving the greater metropolitan area.😉 Across the entire US, there are about 57 such hospitals.😁
Anyway, three-quarters of the people born there have Manhattan listed on their birth certificates, so it’s really no big deal.
My contact over at the maternity ward in Portland is out on vacation until the end of January, so I’m flying blind on the exact birth numbers for now. From what I can gather so far, things are looking pretty steady, except for some noticeable dips in Newark and over in the Eastern US (though, to be fair, we're still waiting on the data from Zanesville).
Anthony Morris6 said:Not to be dramatic or anything, but this county has about 90,600 people. If you ask me, we should be seeing at least 1,000 babies. Actually, we’d probably need closer to 1,200 or 1,300 just to break even on population growth. But hey, what can you do? That's just how things work in America.😢
Keep in mind, some of those kids born in Toplica County end up being born over in a place like Nashville instead, so the average number of births specifically within the county sits closer to 750 or 760. Still pretty pathetic, though. I'm with you on that.