Youth Population In Germany Continues To Fall As Europe Faces Aging Crisis

The number of young people in Germany between 15 and 24 years of age continues to fall, as Europe faces an aging crisis. New statistics released Tuesday by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office show the 15-24 age group makes up only 10.3% of the country’s 83.2 million population.

In 2005, the 15-24 age group made up 11.8% of the German population. The percentage has continued to fall over the last 15 years, with the exception of 2015, when hundreds of thousands of young migrants from countries such as Syria and Afghanistan sought asylum in Germany.

Individuals in the 15-24 age group made up 10.6% of the European Union’s population at the start of 2019, EU statistics agency Eurostat reported. Countries with the highest percentage of youth population include Cyprus, Denmark and Ireland. Bulgaria, Czechia, and Lithuania had the lowest percentages in this age group.

Europe is struggling with an aging population and declining family sizes. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could also result in a “baby bust” on the continent.

A recent study by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation revealed that Italy is expected to see its 61 million population decline to 28 million by the end of the century. Spain (46 million) and Portugal (10.28 million) will also see their populations decrease by more than 50% by 2100.

Italy has previously introduced cash payments to incentivize couples to have children. In 2016, Denmark launched an ad campaign urging Danes to have children in order to please their parents and reverse the country's declining population.