European Countries Populations 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Population of Countries in Europe 2025

Europe represents a demographically diverse continent experiencing significant transformation in 2025. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division, Europe’s population dynamics reflect complex patterns of growth, decline, and aging across more than 40 sovereign nations. The European Union specifically recorded 450.4 million inhabitants as of January 1, 2025, as reported by Eurostat, marking the fourth consecutive year of population growth following a decline in 2021 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth stems primarily from increased migratory movements post-pandemic, as net migration has consistently outweighed natural population change since 2012 when deaths began exceeding births across the EU.

The demographic landscape reveals a continent at a critical demographic crossroads. While certain nations experience modest growth driven entirely by immigration, the broader trend points toward population aging and fertility rates substantially below replacement levels. The United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, the twenty-eighth edition of official UN population estimates, provides comprehensive data covering 237 countries based on 1,910 national population censuses conducted between 1950 and 2023. These statistics paint a compelling picture of how European nations navigate unprecedented demographic challenges including ultra-low fertility rates, increasing life expectancy, and shifting migration patterns that fundamentally reshape the continent’s social and economic fabric for generations to come.

Interesting Stats & Facts About European Countries Populations 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Population Statistics 2025, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025 Edition

The fascinating demographic statistics reveal a continent undergoing profound transformation. The European Union’s population of 450.4 million as of January 1, 2025, represents steady growth driven entirely by migration rather than births. Eurostat data confirms that in 2024, the EU recorded 3.56 million live births compared to 4.82 million deaths, resulting in a substantial negative natural change of approximately 1.26 million people. This deficit has been completely offset by positive net migration, which has consistently exceeded natural population decline since 2012, demonstrating how immigration has become the sole engine of European population growth.

The fertility crisis stands as one of Europe’s most pressing challenges. With an EU-wide fertility rate of 1.38 children per woman in 2023, the continent sits far below the 2.1 replacement level needed to maintain stable populations without immigration. Bulgaria records the highest EU fertility rate at 1.81, while Malta’s 1.06 represents the lowest, followed closely by Spain’s 1.12 and Lithuania’s 1.18. These figures reflect societal shifts including delayed childbearing, with the mean age of women at first birth reaching 29.8 years in 2023, economic pressures, and changing family preferences that together create unprecedented demographic headwinds for European nations facing rapidly aging populations and shrinking workforces.

European Countries Population 2025

Data Source: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, Eurostat Population Statistics 2025, Nordic Statistics 2025

As of 2025, Europe’s population landscape reflects a mix of growth, stability, and decline across its nations. The European part of Russia, with around 110 million people, remains the continent’s most populous region, followed by Germany (83.6 million) and the United Kingdom (69.7 million). While France and Italy maintain strong population bases of over 58 million each, trends show that many large European nations are now experiencing either slow or negative growth due to declining fertility rates and aging demographics.

Within the European Union, population growth is increasingly dependent on migration and immigration policies. Countries like Spain, Portugal, and Ireland are witnessing positive trends largely driven by inward migration, with Ireland recording one of the fastest growth rates in the EU (+16.3 per 1,000). In contrast, Poland, Hungary, and Romania are experiencing notable population decline due to emigration and low birth rates. The Baltic States, including Latvia and Lithuania, face some of the steepest declines, with Latvia’s population shrinking by 9.9 per 1,000 annually.

The Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway, continue to maintain moderate growth supported by strong welfare systems and immigration. Norway’s population, for example, is expanding by 0.77% annually, reflecting economic stability and high living standards. Smaller nations like Luxembourg and Malta are emerging as demographic outliers, posting exceptional growth rates due to economic prosperity and international labor influx—Malta leads with an impressive +19.0 per 1,000 growth rate.

In contrast, parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe, including Ukraine, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria, are struggling with significant demographic challenges. Many of these nations face population loss from conflict, youth emigration, and economic hardship. Ukraine, with roughly 40 million people, continues to experience displacement and uncertainty due to ongoing conflict. Overall, Europe’s population outlook in 2025 underscores a deepening demographic divide—between aging, declining populations in the east and modestly growing, immigration-driven societies in the west and north.

United Kingdom Constituent Nations Population 2025

Data Source: UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) Mid-2024 Population Estimates (Published September 2025), ICAEW UK Population Analysis 2025

The comprehensive European population landscape encompasses over 40 sovereign nations plus constituent countries like those within the United Kingdom. According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, Europe’s total population approaches 745 million people, though this figure varies depending on whether the entire Russian Federation is included or only its European portion. The United Kingdom stands as Europe’s third most populous nation with 69.708 million people as of March 2025, according to the latest unofficial estimate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), positioning it to reach 70 million by September 2025. This growth rate of approximately 0.9% annually makes the UK one of the faster-growing European nations, driven primarily by net inward migration of approximately 3.2 million over the past five years, which has compensated for declining birth rates.

Within the UK, England dominates with 57.6 million residents, representing 84.25% of the total UK population and making it one of Europe’s most densely populated regions at 432 people per square kilometer. London alone houses over 8.7 million people with a staggering density of 5,782 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of Europe’s most populous and densely packed capital cities. Scotland maintains 5.5 million inhabitants across its vast northern territories, resulting in a sparse density of just 70 people per km², concentrated heavily in the central belt between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Wales records 3.15 million people, where the Welsh language remains vibrant with approximately 20% of residents speaking it as a first language. Northern Ireland’s 1.92 million population represents the smallest UK constituent nation, with distinct demographic features including a relatively younger age structure and unique sectarian composition that distinguishes it from the rest of the UK.

EU Population Growth and Natural Change 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Population and Population Change Statistics 2024, Eurostat Demography of Europe Interactive Publication 2025

The population dynamics of the European Union reveal a fundamental transformation in how the continent maintains its demographic base. Since 2012, the EU has experienced negative natural population change every single year, meaning deaths consistently outnumber births. In 2024, this deficit reached approximately 1.26 million people, with 4.82 million deaths exceeding 3.56 million live births. This represents the largest component of the demographic equation and underscores the aging crisis facing European societies. The crude death rate of 10.8 per 1,000 people significantly exceeds the crude birth rate of 8.2 per 1,000, creating a natural population decline that would shrink the EU’s population rapidly without substantial immigration.

Migration has emerged as the exclusive driver of European population growth. The positive net migration of approximately 2.33 million people in 2024 more than compensates for the natural population decrease, resulting in the modest overall population increase of 1,070,702 inhabitants. This pattern, consistent since 2012, demonstrates that without continued substantial immigration, the EU would face immediate and accelerating population decline. The reliance on migration raises critical questions about integration, labor market needs, and social cohesion. Among individual nations, 20 EU countries recorded negative natural change (more deaths than births) in 2023, with only 7 maintaining positive natural growth, highlighting how pervasive the fertility crisis has become across virtually the entire European continent.

EU Fertility Rates by Country 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Fertility Statistics 2023, Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025 Edition, United Nations Population Division

The fertility landscape across European Union member states reveals a demographic crisis of historic proportions. Not a single EU country achieves the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman needed to maintain stable populations without immigration. The EU-wide average of 1.38 live births per woman sits dramatically below replacement, representing a deficit of 0.72 children per woman. This shortfall compounds annually, ensuring continued population decline in the absence of substantial immigration. Bulgaria leads with 1.81, the closest any EU nation comes to replacement, followed by France at 1.66 and Hungary at 1.55. These three nations represent the upper tier of European fertility, yet even they fall substantially short of the levels required for demographic sustainability.

At the opposite extreme, several nations face fertility rates below what demographers classify as “lowest-low fertility” (below 1.3 children per woman). Malta’s 1.06 represents the EU’s absolute lowest, meaning each generation shrinks by approximately half without immigration. Spain follows at 1.12 and Lithuania at 1.18, reflecting similar ultra-low fertility patterns. The Czech Republic experienced the largest single-year decline, dropping from 1.64 in 2022 to 1.46 in 2023, a decrease of 0.18 that signals rapidly worsening demographic conditions. These figures reflect fundamental societal changes including delayed childbearing (with women having their first child at nearly 30 years old on average), economic uncertainty, housing costs, career priorities, and shifting cultural values around family size that collectively push European fertility to historic lows.

Life Expectancy in EU Countries 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025 Edition, Eurostat Life Expectancy Statistics 2023

Life expectancy across the European Union demonstrates both the remarkable achievements of modern medicine and public health while also revealing persistent inequalities between nations and genders. The EU average life expectancy of 81.4 years in 2023 represents a recovery from pandemic-era lows, when life expectancy fell to 80.4 years in 2020 and 80.1 years in 2021. This rebound slightly exceeds the pre-pandemic 2019 value of 81.3 years, suggesting European healthcare systems and populations have largely recovered from COVID-19’s devastating mortality impacts. Spain leads with an impressive 84.0 years, followed closely by Italy at 83.5 years, both nations benefiting from Mediterranean diets, strong family structures, and comprehensive healthcare systems.

The gender gap in life expectancy remains striking across all EU member states. Women outlive men by an average of 5.3 years (84.2 versus 78.9), with Spanish women enjoying the longest lives at 86.7 years and French women at 85.7 years. Among men, Luxembourg and Sweden tie for the highest at 81.7 years, with Malta close behind at 81.6 years. The disparities become most pronounced at the lower end, where Latvia records the EU’s lowest overall life expectancy at 75.6 years, driven primarily by men’s shockingly low 70.5 years, creating the union’s largest gender gap of 10.1 years. Bulgaria follows with 75.8 years overall, reflecting challenges in healthcare access, lifestyle factors, and economic conditions that disproportionately affect Eastern European nations’ ability to match the longevity achievements of their Western and Southern counterparts.

EU Population Age Structure 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025 Edition, Eurostat Interactive Publications 2025

The age structure of the European Union population reveals profound demographic shifts with far-reaching economic and social implications. The proportion of the population aged 80 and above increased from 3.8% in 2004 to 6.1% in 2024, representing a 60% relative increase in just two decades. This doubling of the very elderly population strains healthcare systems, long-term care facilities, and family support structures. Simultaneously, the working-age population (15-64) has shrunk from approximately 67% to 64%, while the overall elderly population (65+) has grown from 16% to 21%. This creates an increasingly unfavorable dependency ratio, with fewer workers supporting each retiree through taxes and social contributions.

The median age of 44.7 years in 2024 underscores how aging has become the defining demographic characteristic of modern Europe. This figure continues rising year after year, making the EU one of the world’s oldest populations alongside Japan and other East Asian nations. The shrinking proportion of children (ages 0-14), declining from around 17% to 15%, signals that the aging trend will accelerate in coming decades as smaller cohorts of young people enter the workforce while larger cohorts of elderly citizens require support. These structural changes demand fundamental reforms to pension systems, healthcare financing, immigration policies, and labor market regulations to maintain economic dynamism and social welfare standards as Europe’s population pyramid inverts from its traditional shape into one top-heavy with elderly dependents.

EU Migration and Population Diversity 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Population Statistics, Eurostat Migration and Citizenship Data, UN Population Division

Migration has fundamentally reshaped European demographics, transforming from a supplementary factor to the exclusive engine of population growth. Since 2012, when natural population change turned negative across the EU, positive net migration has been the only reason the union’s population hasn’t declined. In 2024, approximately 2.3 million more people immigrated to the EU than emigrated, more than doubling the natural population decrease of 1.26 million. This net migration figure represents the aggregate of complex flows including intra-EU movement, refugees, family reunification, labor migration, and students, collectively ensuring continued population expansion despite fertility rates far below replacement levels.

The composition of Europe’s population has grown increasingly diverse. In 2010, approximately 20.1 million foreign citizens resided in the EU, representing 4% of the total population. This figure has undoubtedly grown in the intervening years as migration accelerated, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic when movement restrictions lifted. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered massive population movements, with millions of Ukrainians receiving temporary protection status across EU member states, substantially impacting population statistics especially in Poland, Germany, and Czech Republic. This diversity brings both opportunities through labor force augmentation and cultural enrichment, while also presenting integration challenges that dominate political discourse across European nations as they adapt to permanently multicultural societies that contrast sharply with the more ethnically homogeneous Europe of previous generations.

EU Birth and Death Statistics 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025 Edition, Eurostat Fertility and Birth Statistics 2023

The vital statistics of births and deaths across the European Union paint a stark picture of demographic decline. The crude birth rate of 8.2 live births per 1,000 people represents a historic low, with every single EU member state recording decreases when comparing 2023 to 2003, except Bulgaria. Cyprus leads with 10.7 births per 1,000, followed by Ireland at 10.3 and France at 9.9, yet even these highest rates fall well below historical European norms. At the opposite extreme, Italy’s 6.4, Spain’s 6.6, and Greece’s 6.8 represent crisis-level fertility where births barely exceed half the deaths occurring in these rapidly aging societies.

The crude death rate of 10.8 per 1,000 people consistently exceeds the birth rate, creating the negative natural population change that has defined European demographics since 2012. Among the 20 EU countries with negative natural change (more deaths than births), Latvia suffers most severely with a rate of -7.2 per 1,000, followed by Bulgaria at -6.8 and Lithuania at -5.7. Only 7 countries maintain positive natural change, with Cyprus and Ireland both at +3.7 and Luxembourg at +2.8 representing rare exceptions. These positive rates often reflect relatively younger populations maintained through immigration rather than genuinely high fertility. The delayed childbearing pattern, with the mean age at first child reaching 29.8 years (and overall childbearing at 31.2 years), compresses fertile years and contributes to lower completed fertility, as women who start families later typically have fewer total children than those who begin earlier.

European Union Population Density 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Population Density Statistics, Eurostat Demography of Europe 2025

Population density across the European Union varies dramatically, reflecting geography, history, and economic development patterns. The EU average of 109 people per square kilometer represents a moderate increase from 105 per km² in 2003, indicating gradual densification despite relatively stable overall population. This average masks enormous variation, with highly urbanized nations like the Netherlands, Belgium, and tiny Malta recording densities far exceeding this figure, while Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden maintain sparse populations spread across vast northern territories. The concentration of population continues increasing as approximately 75% of EU residents live in urban areas, driving demand for housing, infrastructure, and services in major metropolitan regions.

The rising population density reflects several interconnected trends including continued urbanization, internal migration from rural to urban areas, and the concentration of economic opportunities in major cities. Despite overall population growth slowing or reversing in many member states, cities continue growing through internal and international migration. This urbanization pattern creates challenges for rural depopulation, where aging residents remain in villages while young people migrate to cities for education and employment. The density increase from 2003 to 2025, though modest at approximately 4 people per km², represents millions of individuals shifting settlement patterns and concentrating in metropolitan areas where population density often exceeds 1,000 people per km² in urban cores compared to rural areas that may drop below 10 people per km².

Non-EU European Countries Population 2025

Data Source: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, Eurostat Partner Country Statistics

Beyond the 27 European Union member states, numerous other European nations contribute to the continent’s demographic landscape. Russia, though transcontinental with most territory in Asia, maintains the largest population of any European country with its European portion alone exceeding any single EU nation. The United Kingdom, following Brexit, represents a major demographic entity outside the EU with population patterns similar to large EU members including aging populations, below-replacement fertility, and reliance on immigration for growth. The EFTA nations (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) share many demographic characteristics with EU countries, including low fertility rates, though Iceland’s 1.55 and Switzerland’s 1.33 demonstrate variation even among these closely aligned states.

The Balkan nations including Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro face particular demographic challenges including substantial emigration to EU countries, aging populations, and economic pressures that drive working-age populations westward. Many serve as EU candidate countries navigating accession processes while confronting population decline more severe than most current EU members. Ukraine’s demographics have been dramatically impacted by the ongoing conflict since 2022, with millions displaced internally and externally, making accurate population counts challenging. Moldova, another candidate country, experiences significant emigration with a large diaspora relative to its small remaining population. Belarus maintains population patterns typical of Eastern European nations with declining fertility and overall population shrinkage that characterizes much of the post-Soviet space.

European Population Urbanization Trends 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Urban-Rural Statistics, United Nations World Urbanization Prospects

Urbanization represents one of the most significant demographic trends reshaping Europe in 2025. With approximately 75% of the EU population residing in urban areas, Europe ranks among the world’s most urbanized continents. This concentration accelerates despite slowing or negative overall population growth, as internal migration from rural to urban areas continues unabated. Major metropolitan regions including Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, and Amsterdam capture disproportionate shares of population growth through both internal migration and international immigration, as economic opportunities, educational institutions, and cultural amenities concentrate in these urban centers that serve as engines of national economies.

The flip side of urbanization manifests in acute rural depopulation across much of Europe. The remaining 25% of the population in rural areas skews dramatically older than urban populations, as young people migrate to cities for education and employment, rarely returning. This creates self-reinforcing decline as departing youth reduce demand for schools, healthcare facilities, and services, prompting further service closures that encourage additional emigration. Some rural regions in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Eastern European nations face potential abandonment within decades as aging populations die without replacement. Capital cities particularly benefit from urbanization trends, growing faster than national averages and creating political tensions around regional inequality, housing affordability, and infrastructure strain that dominates domestic policy debates across European nations confronting fundamental spatial reorganization of their populations.

EU Economic and Social Implications of Demographics 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Demographic Analysis, European Commission Economic Forecasts

The demographic trends documented throughout 2025 carry profound economic implications for European nations. The aging population with its 21% of residents over 65 and rising creates enormous fiscal pressures as pension obligations and healthcare costs escalate while the working-age population shrinks. The dependency ratio deteriorates annually, with fewer active workers generating the tax revenue needed to support growing numbers of retirees. Many EU nations have already raised retirement ages, reformed pension systems, and increased social contribution rates, yet these adjustments barely keep pace with demographic realities. Healthcare systems face particular strain as the 6.1% of the population aged 80+ requires intensive medical services, long-term care, and support that dominates health budgets.

The shrinking workforce resulting from low fertility creates labor shortages across multiple sectors, from healthcare to manufacturing to services. Despite high unemployment in some regions, skills mismatches and demographic gaps threaten economic growth potential. This workforce shrinkage explains Europe’s dependency on continued immigration despite periodic political backlash. Without substantial migration, most European economies would face immediate labor shortages and economic contraction. The fertility rate of 1.38 sits so far below replacement that even dramatic increases would take decades to rebuild younger cohorts, making immigration the only near-term solution to workforce shortfalls. These economic pressures intersect with social challenges including intergenerational wealth transfers, housing affordability as older generations hold assets while younger people struggle, and political divisions over immigration that shape electoral outcomes and policy priorities across the European continent.

EU Gender Demographic Patterns 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Gender Statistics, Eurostat Life Expectancy by Sex 2023

Gender patterns in European demographics reveal persistent disparities with significant implications. The 5.3-year life expectancy gap between women (84.2 years) and men (78.9 years) means the elderly population skews heavily female, particularly in the oldest age groups where women substantially outnumber men. This gender longevity gap varies by country, reaching extreme levels in Latvia where women outlive men by 10.1 years (80.6 versus 70.5), reflecting lifestyle factors including higher male smoking and alcohol consumption rates, occupational hazards, and healthcare-seeking behaviors that disadvantage men. These patterns create demographic imbalances where women constitute majorities in retirement-age populations while men dominate working-age cohorts.

The fertility decline affects both sexes but manifests differently in life patterns. Women increasingly prioritize education and careers, with the mean age at first child of 29.8 years reflecting delayed family formation that compresses fertile years and reduces completed fertility. Men similarly delay fatherhood, with increasing age gaps between parents and children compared to previous generations. The gender composition of migration flows also matters, as different migration types (labor, family reunification, refugees) show varying gender ratios that influence national demographics. These gender-specific patterns require policy attention to issues from widowhood support to male health promotion to work-life balance measures that enable both women and men to combine careers with family formation at younger ages when fertility potential remains highest.

EU Regional Demographic Variations 2025

Data Source: Eurostat Regional Demographics, Eurostat Population Change by Region

Regional demographic patterns within the European Union reveal striking geographic disparities. Southern European nations including Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal face particularly acute challenges with ultra-low fertility rates, severe population aging, and substantial youth emigration to other EU countries seeking employment opportunities. Spain’s fertility rate of 1.12 and Italy’s 1.21 rank among the world’s lowest, creating demographic trajectories that project population reductions of 20-30% over coming decades without dramatically increased immigration. These Mediterranean nations, once sources of emigration to Northern Europe, now struggle to attract and retain working-age populations adequate to support growing elderly cohorts.

Eastern European nations and the Baltic states confront the most severe demographic crises in the EU. Countries like Latvia (declining at -9.9 per 1,000), Hungary (-4.7), Poland, and Estonia lose substantial proportions of their populations annually through combination of low fertility, population aging, and most critically, mass emigration of working-age adults to Western Europe following EU accession. The opening of labor markets allows free movement, creating brain drain where educated young people permanently relocate to higher-wage countries, leaving behind aging populations and shrinking tax bases. Bulgaria has lost approximately 2 million people since 1989 through emigration and natural decrease. These trends threaten the viability of small nations and create regional inequalities within the EU between growing Western metropoles and declining Eastern peripheries.

The demographic trajectory for Europe through 2025 and beyond presents formidable challenges requiring comprehensive policy responses across multiple domains. The entrenchment of ultra-low fertility rates averaging 1.38 children per woman across the European Union, combined with the negative natural population change persisting since 2012, indicates that without sustained high levels of immigration, European populations will contract substantially over coming decades. The aging population structure with its 21% over 65 and rapidly growing cohort of those aged 80+ (currently 6.1%) creates fiscal pressures that will intensify as baby boomers fully transition into retirement over the next decade. Pension and healthcare systems designed for younger population pyramids face fundamental sustainability questions that demand either substantial reforms increasing working lives and retirement ages, reduced benefit levels, higher tax burdens on shrinking working-age populations, or combinations thereof that prove politically contentious across member states.

Migration emerges as the demographic reality that shapes Europe’s population future, as it has become the exclusive driver of population growth since 2012. The positive net migration that added approximately 2.3 million people to the EU in 2024 compensating for 1.26 million natural decrease demonstrates that immigration represents not merely a policy choice but a demographic necessity for nations seeking to maintain population levels and workforce adequacy. However, the social and political challenges of integration, cultural adaptation, and public acceptance of permanently multicultural societies generate ongoing tensions across European democracies. Future population trends depend heavily on migration policy decisions, integration success, and whether fertility rates can be modestly elevated through family-friendly policies including childcare support, parental leave, housing affordability, and work-life balance initiatives that address the structural barriers preventing young Europeans from having the children they report desiring in surveys. The coming decades will determine whether Europe adapts successfully to its new demographic reality or faces economic stagnation and social strains from population aging and decline that historical experience suggests proves difficult to reverse once entrenched.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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