Demographic changes in Europe: An intricate research

 

 

Table of Contents

1.   What is demographic change?

2.   Demographic changes in Europe

3.   Impact of demographic changes in Europe

4.   What demographic challenge is Europe currently experiencing?

5.   Initiative to improve European demographic change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is demographic change?

 

Demographic change involves shifts in population size and structure that are affected by changes in birth, mortality, and migration rates. Today's Civilized western countries are characterized by declining birth rates below population replacement and rising living standards. As a result, populations are ageing and reducing. Migration causes further population declines in the areas of origin.

 

Demographic Changes in Europe.

 

1. Population till 2020

 

-There is an increase of 0.09 per cent over the 74 million population. By far the most popular country in Europe is Russia with a population of 143 million.  

 

-From January 2020 to 2021, there was a rapid decrease in population by 278 thousand people.

 

-In 2021 Germany was the most populated state with 83.2 million followed by France (67.7 million), Italy(52.9 million) Spain (47.4 million), and Portugal (37.8 million). These five member states accounted for two-thirds of Europe’s population.

 

2. Gender statistics

 

The human sex ratio is defined as the number of females to the number of males in a given population.

 

-The ratio of women is 104 per 100 men. the birthrate in Europe falls between 1.05. to 1.07. Since more migrants are women than men by 20%. Males are subject to a greater mortality rate, due to having more physically demanded jobs.

 

-In 2022, the ratio of the Female population was 384.6 million. Latvia has the most women consisting of 117.3 in ratio.

 

- European core area, consisting primarily of France, Benelux, Western Germany, Switzerland, and, Italy, is characterized by a balanced gender ratio female surplus. Males in early adulthood are overrepresented in remote rural areas. A surplus of women is a primarily urban characteristic, as seen in the capital regions of Denmark, Norway, Austria, and the majority of German cities.

 

3. Ageing population

 

Europeans are living longer than before which means the number of old agents to the next decade unless the post-war baby boom generation retires. 

 

-In 2020, the median age in the EU was 43.9 years. The proportion of older adults in the labour force is increasing in parts of Germany, Spain, and Portugal. In good health, men born today in Western Europe can expect to live for 67.5 years.

 

 -Men in Eastern Europe can expect to live only 58 healthy years, while men in Western Europe can expect to live close to 68.

 

-Population in Evrytania, a mountainous region in Greece has increased to 78.3%

 

4. Rural Population 

 

Rural areas are home to 28.0% of the EU's population. From 2010 to 2015, the percentage of people living in rural areas increased gradually with their comparative share of the total population increasing by 1.7. The amount of the population living in towns and suburbs increased by 4.7 percentage points, while the proportion of people living in cities decreased.

 

5. Urban Population

 

An increasing proportion of the EU's population lives and works in cities. According to Eurostat, 17.8% of the EU's total citizens live in a functional urban. Half of the cities in the EU have a comparatively small urban center between 50,000 and 100 000 residents.

 

6.     Migration Population

 

-Inside the EU, there are two kinds of migratory flows: migratory flows of EU citizens to a country and migration patterns flows from non-EU countries. 

 

-According to Eurostat, 4.7 million people migrated to EU Member States in 2015. Half of these migrants were non-EU citizens, 1.4 million were citizens of a specific EU Member State, 0.9 million migrated to an EU state in which they were citizens, and 19 000 were stateless.

 

Impact of Demographic Change on Europe

 

·        Expansion of Business in rural areas

 

Due to the high costs of urban living, visitors choose to settle in nearby towns or suburbs. The European countryside has become a hub for the development of non-agricultural activities such as manufacturing, and tourism, all of which have increased labour demand. In such circumstances, migrants arrive to fill the voids left by the national populace in rural labour markets.

 

·        Decrease in urban population

 over 65 tend to move to less expensive locations, and their population numbers thus tend to increase faster than national averages. Cities in Western Europe are frequently found to be among the least inclusive, evidenced by a relatively high proportion of people living in poverty or low-work-intensity households, as well as chronic unemployment.

 

·        Higher GDP in Europe

 Cities with larger incomes in Europe have seen the greatest GDP and employment growth, resulting in higher population growth. Low-income cities are catching up, with the highest GDP-per-capita doubling. 

 

A study, on the other hand, found that a receding labour supply and decreased productivity of older employees will put a strain on public pensions. It will put a hold on earnings rising for Western European. Per capita GDP in this country will only remain at 60% till 2050.

 

 

·        Double Dependency Ratio

 

Europe's dependency ratio is expected to reach 50.2 by 2060. This implies that each dependent will have only two working-age adults. . While improvements in population health are expected in the coming years, the increasing number of seniors in Europe may increase both healthy and unhealthy dependency ratios. There will be 18 elderly people in poor health plans while 34 are in good health per 100 people in a healthy dependency ratio.15.5% of people aged above 65 are at risk of poverty.

 

·        Declining Fertility

 

According to the Overall Fertility rate, the average number of babies born per woman in Europe is around 1.5. Because of a reduction in fertility at an early age, European women are having children at a later age than previously. In the second phase, this decline continues, but the birthrate at advanced age begins to increase.

 

What demographic challenge is Europe currently experiencing?

 

·        Europe faces a significant threat in equitably funding its age-related spending across generations. The volume of people paying social security taxes contributions to those obtaining pensions rapidly decreased.

 

·        Women are more prone to suffer from old-age poverty. This is due to lower employment levels, more career breaks, and reduced salaries. Women receive one-third less in monthly pensions than men, despite having a longer life expectancy.

 

·        A region of 31 million people, or 7% of the Europe Union population, faces the greatest challenge of rapid depopulation and reduced GDP per head.

 

  Initiative to improve European demographic change

 

·        The commission on Green Paper on Ageing and a Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas will also focus on loneliness, social isolation, mental health, economic resilience, and long-term planning.

 

·        Efforts should be made by the Commission to support rural development and education. 

 

·        Well manages demographic transition will affect a dynamic and diverse system of European government.

 

·        According to Commission projections, maintaining 1.3% annual GDP growth until 2070 would necessitate an annual labour productivity growth of 1.5%. As the labour force begins to shrink, market return and productivity increases will become even more essential.

 

·        Migrants can be managed in a way that benefits the ageing EU regions in several ways.it can help in reducing demographic disparities and upgrade the labour market which in turn will benefit the economy. 

 

Authors Bio

This article is written by Mark Edmonds. One of the most eminent and maestro writers of the United Kingdom. He has assisted several students by catering the best assignment help to them.