Depopulate
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To reduce the population of a region by disease, war, forced relocation etc.
Desolate
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: deserted and devoid of inhabitantsbarren and lifelessmade unfit for habitation or usedismal or drearysad, forlorn and hopeless
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To deprive somewhere of inhabitants; to devastate or lay waste somewhere; to abandon or forsake something; to make someone sad, forlorn and hopeless.
Example sentence: I am drawn to cold, desolate places rather than Hawaii. I actually love Hawaii too, but I tend to go to Iceland or Norway or Northern Japan - northern places for whatever reason. Which aren't necessarily the best places to tour.