15. Armenia
Population growth rate: -0.4%
Armenia is a landlocked country in Western Asia. The Armenian population faces historical challenges. In the early 20th century, wars and famines in the country took a devastating toll, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country's economy declined further. Today, Armenia's low fertility rate (1.758 births per woman in 2022) hinders the natural replacement of the population, which means that the number of deaths exceeds the number of births. If left unchecked, this trend could lead to a further decline in population growth.
14. Japan
Population growth rate: -0.41%
Japan is an East Asian country with a declining population. It is estimated that by 2070, the country's population will decrease by 30% to just 87 million. This demographic crisis is caused by a declining birth rate, which is mainly caused by a declining marriage rate. In a traditionally conservative country like Japan, fewer marriages mean fewer babies are born. In 2023, the death toll in Japan stands at 1,590,503, rising for the third consecutive year. The natural decline in the population of the country was 831,872. This marks the 17th consecutive year of natural population decline in Japan and the worst population decline in Japan's history.
13. Montenegro
Population growth rate: -0.43%
Montenegro is a country located in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. The main reasons for the low population in Montenegro are the lack of agricultural land and the low number of immigrants. Most of the territory of Montenegro belongs to the Dinaric Alpine karst region, which is barren and unsuitable for agriculture. The population of Montenegro is declining, with an average annual growth rate of -0.43%.
12. Croatia
Population growth rate: -0.47%
Croatia is a country located between Central and Southeastern Europe. Croatia's population has been steadily decreasing for decades. In 2022 alone, it decreased by 0.73%. Immigration and declining birth rates are the main reasons. Over the past 15 years, more people have left Croatia than they have entered, further exacerbating the country's demographic pressure. The economic crisis is being strongly felt in Croatia, and the opening of its borders has led to the migration of large numbers of Croats to richer countries.
11. Russia
Population growth rate: -0.48%
Russia is the largest country in the world by area, but it is facing the problem of a shrinking population. Despite their size, many areas are sparsely populated. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, this trend worsened, and Russia gained large territories, but only half of its population. The country has a high mortality rate and a declining life expectancy. In addition, Russia has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, while abortion rates are high. Thus, according to the Russian statistical agency Rosstat, the number of deaths currently exceeds the number of births, and by 2046, the Russian population may be reduced to 130 million.
10. Georgia
Population growth rate: -0.57%
Georgia is a country located at the junction of Europe and Asia. Georgia now has a population of 3,717,425, a decrease of 0.29% from last year. From 1992, the county's population began to decline dramatically due to the civil war and the massive population migration that followed, and this continued until the 90s of the 20th century until the early 2000s. Since 2002, the population has declined by 15 per cent, and the low population growth rate has persisted to this day. Georgia is one of the top 10 countries in the world with negative population growth.
9. Moldova
Population growth rate: -0.58%
Moldova is an Eastern European country. The annual growth rate of Moldova's population decreased to -2.22% in 2022 and is currently at a low level of -0.58%. Population growth has reached its lowest level in recent years. In terms of population decline, Moldova is leading among European countries. The main reasons are high mortality rates, low birth rates, and high immigration rates. In addition, Moldova has a low life expectancy, and alcohol consumption is one of the key factors in the deterioration of overall health. The level of alcohol consumption of Moldovans is 3 times higher than the global average.
8. Serbia
Population growth rate: -0.63%
Serbia is a landlocked country in the Balkans, located at the junction of Southeastern and Central Europe. Serbia has a population of 7,097,028, a decrease of 0.73% over the previous year. Serbia is facing a demographic crisis due to low birth rates and emigration, causing its population of 7 million to shrink at an alarming rate. It is estimated that if these trends continue, there could be a 25% decline. Serbia ranks eighth in our list of countries with negative population growth in the world.
7. Bulgaria
Population growth rate: -0.66%
Bulgaria is a Balkan country with a Black Sea coastline. Bulgaria's population has been declining over the past decade due to low birth rates and immigration. Between 2011 and 2021, the Balkan country's population decreased by 11.5%, or 844,000, to 6.5 million. Young people, in particular, are drawn abroad in search of better employment opportunities, which further exacerbates the country's demographics.
6. Micronesia
Growth of population: -0.70%
Micronesia is a country that straddles the western Pacific Ocean. The country's current average annual population growth rate is -0.70%. The Micronesian economy is generally shrinking, and the long-term decline is evident due to low fertility and high immigration rates.
5. Estonia
Population growth rate: -0.74%
Estonia is a Nordic country located on the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. The population of Estonia has dropped to 1.3 million, a decrease of 0.28% compared to last year. This trend continues the downward trend that began after 1990, when Estonia lost 15% of its population due to low birth rates and immigration. By December 2011, the country's population had fallen below the level of the 70s of the 20th century.
4. Romania
Population growth rate: -1.01%
Romania is a southeastern European country with a population that has been steadily declining since 1990, when the country's population was estimated at 23.21 million people. This decline is attributed to three main factors: high mortality rates, low birth rates, and large numbers of immigrants. The decline in fertility is particularly related to the increase in Romanian women's access to higher education and the labour market. Romania ranks fourth in our list of countries with the worst negative population growth in the world.
3. Poland
Population growth rate: -1.03%
Poland is a thriving member of the European Union with over 38 million citizens, but faces demographic challenges. Although Poland is the fifth-most populous member state, it has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. This year, the number of births fell to a post-war low of 290,975, marking the 11th consecutive year that the number of deaths in the country has exceeded the number of births. This trend has led to a decrease in the population by nearly one million, with low birth rates and continued migration being the main causes.
2. Lithuania
Population growth rate: -1.04%
Lithuania is a Baltic country bordering the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The current population of Lithuania is only 2,692,798 people, a decrease of 0.94% from the previous year. While Lithuania's population has grown in recent years due to the increase in Ukrainian and Belarusian migration, and even increased slightly between 2005 and 2009, the birth rate began to decline in 2020. The country's average annual population growth rate in 2017 was -1.04%. In 2023.
1. Latvia
Population growth rate: -1.13%
Latvia is a European country located between Lithuania and Estonia and bordering the Baltic Sea. Over the years, the Latvian economy has progressed, but as the quality of life has improved, the birth rate has tended to decline. For Latvia, the population decline has been considerable, with the country's population expected to fall below 1.5 million by 2045, according to Eurostat projections.