A number of countries around the world face significant population decline due to aging populations, decreasing fertility rates, and outbound migration, raising concerns about the future. From 2000 to 2025, 30 countries experienced population loss, while 59 more are expected to see declines between 2025 and 2050. With Eastern Europe and small Pacific islands being particularly affected, these trends highlight the demographic shifts shaping global populations and raise urgent questions about economic and social implications as these nations anticipate potentially losing more than half of their populations by the century's end.
Aging populations, low fertility rates, and outbound migration flows are contributing to population decline in countries throughout the developed and developing world.
Worldwide, 30 countries experienced population decline from 2000 to 2025, while 59 are forecast to experience population decline from 2025 to 2050.
Many of the fastest-shrinking countries are in Eastern Europe, where outbound migration is rising and birth rates are falling.
Countries projected to lose more than half of their populations by century's end are primarily found in Eastern Europe and small Pacific island nations.
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