Rapid population growth, demand for increased food resources and other political,economic and social stresses have all contributed to building up pressure fordevelopment of marginal regions in both developed and developing countries.Ecological issues are also adding up to and increasing marginalization of regionsand social groups due to the pressure on natural resources. Broadly speakingmarginal regions are perceived in concepts of centre-periphery (fringes) and boundariesand frontiers. In developing countries marginal regicns are the combinedeffects of ecological, economic and social factors. For understanding the abovecomplex issues, the Study Group on Development Issues in Marginal Regionswas established in August 1992 at the Washington International GeographicalCongress.
