Europe: The demographic challenge

The Western world faces declining fertility rates, impacting future economies and societies. The average fertility rate in western Europe is 1.54, and is predicted to fall to 1.37 in 2100. To maintain the current population without immigration, birthrates should average 2.1 children per woman.

Why it matters: Understanding the need for immigration due to low birth rates is crucial for governments, businesses, and individuals to plan for economic stability and social welfare. To maintain public services and economic growth, high-income societies will have no choice but to rely on an influx of immigration from poorer countries in Africa with higher birthrates, the study concluded. 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

Report in The Times (UK) 

Graphic from Barclays Investment Bank HERE.

Quote:

Dr Natalia Bhattacharjee, lead author on the study, said the dwindling working-age population in western nations would create “fierce competition for migrants to sustain economic growth”. 

She added: “The implications are immense. These future trends in fertility rates and live births will completely reconfigure the global economy and the international balance of power and will necessitate reorganising societies.”