depopulation

/diːˌpɑːpjəˈleɪʃən/
noun
  1. A large reduction in the number of people living in a place, such as a country, city, or rural area.
    • Many small towns are facing depopulation because young people move to cities for jobs.
    • The war caused a massive depopulation of the region as families fled to safety.
    • The government is worried about the depopulation of rural villages and is offering incentives for people to stay.
What does "depopulation" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean