10 Countries With Biggest Population Decline

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6. Moldova

Population Decline Between 2020 to 2050: 16.70%

Annual Population Change: -0.90%

Composite Ranking: 6

Moldova’s population decline is one of the most severe in Eastern Europe, primarily driven by economic factors. With limited job opportunities and one of the lowest GDPs in Europe, many Moldovans have emigrated. The World Bank estimated that as of 2023, approximately a quarter of Moldova’s working-age population lived abroad. This mass emigration has resulted in a significant reduction in the reproductive-age population, contributing to a declining birth rate.

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