This work explores the socio-geographic transformation of Brinje region between 1961. and 2001. It is caused primarily by industrial modernization of Croatia in the second half of the 20th century. This included examining the factors and the types of the socio-geographic transformation, the basics of the historical as well as geographical development, demographic processes and potential measures and instruments for maintaining a population growth in Brinje region. When it comes to methodology, the most used was the method of analysis-synthesis, and within it, the most dominant were tabular and cartographic analyses of transformation indicators. Cartograms were created using the ArcGis 9.2. computer application.The results of the research show that¬: 1. due to its peripheral position, modernization processes came to Brinje region very late, and this caused increased emigration during the polarized development of Croatia; 2. emigration quickened the process of aging, depopulation, and eventually led to demographic extinction; 3. in modern times, Brinje region is substantially lagging behind when it comes to Croatia’s socio-economic development and is affected by the negative processes of the socio-geographic transformation; 4. the most unfavourable processes are characteristic for Gornjobrinjski area, and the least unfavourable are characteristic for the Central Brinje Area.