The research reveals a number of modern socio-economic and legal issues facing rural development in Ukraine. The dynamics of changes in the age structure and demographic decline of rural population is analyzed in the regional perspective. The essential aspects of rural employment are studied. It is shown that rural employment is characterized by a significant share of self-employed persons among the people engaged in economic activity. The study ascertains that self-employment in rural areas is mostly concentrated in the informal economy, which does not provide any social insurance. The trends of entrepreneurship development in rural areas are described in the context of prospects to resolve the rural population employment issues. 

rural development, demographic crisis, rural employment, rural entrepreneurship development