Albania ranks fourth in Europe, after Estonia, Finland, and Italy, in terms of the largest drop in the number of children aged 0-5 years.
The data indicates that people are living longer but are not reproducing at the same rate, choosing to have fewer children.
According to INSTAT, 22,210 babies were born in 2023, the lowest number recorded since 1934, when Albania began keeping annual birth records.
These figures are also reflected in Eurostat reports, which show that Albania has had the largest fertility decline between 2021 and 2022.
The fertility rate in Albania was 1.71 children per woman in 2012, but it dropped to 1.21 in 2023.
Why Are Birth Rates Declining?
- Delayed marriages
- Career aspirations
- Economic difficulties
These factors are leading Albanian women to have fewer children.
EU Birth Rate Trends
The EU report states that on January 1, 2023, there were 25 million children under 6 years old in the EU, 2 million fewer than a decade ago.
Additionally, population forecasts predict that this trend will continue, with 1 million fewer children by 2030.
Among EU countries:
- Italy and Spain saw the largest decline, with over 700,000 fewer children between 2013 and 2023.
- France and Turkey experienced decreases of 550,000 and 515,000 children, respectively, during the same period.
