Women in Albania are giving birth to fewer and fewer babies.

This is driving the natural birth rate to the lowest levels.

The latest data show that 5,400 babies were born in the second quarter of 2022, or 15% less than last year.

With this trend, in 2022 a woman will give birth to an average of 1.32 children and for the population not to shrink, the birth rate must be at 2.1 children per woman. This rate was last recorded 20 years ago.

There are 8 out of 12 counties that recorded a decrease in population in the April-June period, where the number of deaths was greater than the number of births. In Tirana, Durres, Diber and Kukes, the natural increase is positive.

For 30 years, Albania has been experiencing population shrinkage, and in addition to the declining birth rate, other factors that are desolating the country are emigration and aging.