Eurostat: Baltic population to plummet

Aug 28, 2008
By Talis Saule Archdeacon

RIGA – The results of a recent survey by Eurostat suggest that the population of the Baltic states will drop by as much as 25 percent by 2060 if nothing is done to stymie the trend. 

The report, released on Aug. 28, predicted that by 2060 the population of Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania will fall by 15.4 percent, 25.9 percent and 24.3 percent, respectively.

Eurostat said that the population of the entire EU – currently at 495 million – would increase to 521 million by 2035 and then gradually drop to 508 million by 2060.

Moreover, the report found that all 27 EU member states are likely to see a significantly older population, suggesting that as much as 30 percent of the population would be over 65 by 2060.

“The EU27 population is projected to become older throughout the projection period, due in particular to persistently low fertility and an increasing number of survivors to higher ages. This ageing process would occur in all Member States,” the report said.

Only Bulgaria is expected to see a larger population drop than Latvia and Lithuania by 2060. Estonia, meanwhile, ranks fifth on the list of worst affected countries, closely following Romania.

Cyprus, Ireland and Luxemburg are set to see the largest population increase over the same time period, at 66.2 percent, 52.9 percent and 51.7 percent, respectively.

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