Define the Term "Rural Community" and Summarize Rural Community Issues

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The Answer is About 25 percent of the U.S.population resides in rural areas,identified as communities of 2,500 people or less by the U.S.Census Bureau.
Sociologists typically identify rural communities as small,sparsely settled areas that have a relatively homogeneous population of people who primarily engage in agriculture.For individuals in rural areas who have made their livelihood through farming and other agricultural endeavors,recent decades have been very difficult for many,both financially and emotionally.Rural crises such as droughts,crop failures,and the loss of small businesses in the community have had a negative effect on many adults and their children.Like their urban counterparts,rural families have experienced problems of divorce,alcoholism,abuse and other crises,but these issues have sometimes been exacerbated by such events as the loss of the family farm or business.Since home is also the center of work in farming families,the loss of the farm may also mean the loss of family and social life.Some rural children and adolescents are also subject to injuries associated with farm work,such as livestock kicks or crushing,falling out of a tractor or pickup,and operating machinery designed for adults.
Economic opportunities are limited in many rural areas,and average salaries are typically lower than in urban areas,based on the assumption that a family can live on less money in rural communities than in cities.Rural schools typically face a severe teacher shortage and often pay salaries that lag far behind those in urban and suburban school districts.In rural areas,one of the most pressing problems is the availability of health services and doctors.Because of the pressing time constraints of tending to patients with life-threatening problems,such as heart attacks and strokes,the availability of community clinics and hospitals in rural areas may be a life-or-death matter for some residents.Loss of these facilities can have a devastating effect on people's health and life chances.Another factor is the proliferation of superstores,such as WalMart,Lowe's,and Home Depot.In some cases,these superstores have effectively put small businesses out of business because local merchants cannot meet the prices established by these large-volume discount chains.
Essay

Define the Term "Rural Community" and Summarize Rural Community Issues

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