About this reported the Visual Capitalist with reference to data from the International Monetary Fund.
According to the study, between 2000 and 2025, Ukraine's population shrank by 32,5%. This is the worst indicator among the 183 countries analyzed. For comparison, the Marshall Islands took second place in terms of population decline, with a decline of 29,4%.
Experts say Ukraine's demographic crisis has been long-standing, but has worsened sharply since the start of the full-scale war. The International Monetary Fund estimates that by 2026, the country's population will have shrunk to around 33,3 million, down from over 41 million in 2021.
Key factors include a high mortality rate, almost three times higher than the birth rate, losses due to hostilities, and the emigration of over 6 million people abroad. A significant proportion of them are women with children and people of working age, which exacerbates imbalances in the labor market and social security system.
Visual Capitalist Infographics
Overall, the world population grew by an average of 46,6% during this period. However, the growth is uneven. It is mainly provided by the countries of the Persian Gulf and sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the population of Qatar has grown more than fourfold (+423,4%), and the United Arab Emirates - by almost 250%. Significant growth was also recorded in Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
Instead, Eastern Europe has become one of the main centers of depopulation. Among the countries with the largest declines are Bulgaria (–23,2%), Latvia (–21,6%), Moldova (–18,8%), Lithuania (–17,5%) and Romania (–16,1%). The main reasons are low birth rates and labor migration.
The world's major economies are showing moderate growth rates. India's population increased by 38,4%, the United States by 21%, Brazil by 22,1%, while China's by only 10,9%. Countries with active immigration policies, such as Canada and Australia, are also showing steady growth.
Let us remind you that in 2024 Kyiv entered the top ten worst for the liveability of cities in the world according to The Economist magazine. The capital is there for the second year in a row.
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