Romania is among the European countries that are losing population most rapidly and aging at an accelerated pace. In the last two decades, our country has lost approximately two million inhabitants, and the median age has increased by nearly nine years – the largest growth in the European Union.
At the beginning of 2025, the European Union had approximately 451 million inhabitants, one million more than the previous year. However, the population growth at the European level is accompanied by a phenomenon that is intensifying in almost all member states: population aging and a decrease in the proportion of young people, as shown in a new Eurostat report published on Thursday.
Between 2005 and 2025, the EU population increased by 4%, from 435 to 451 million people. However, the evolution was not uniform: eight member states lost population, and Romania is among the most affected.
Eurostat data shows that Romania recorded an 11% decrease in population between 2005 and 2025, being surpassed only by Latvia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania.
At the same time, countries like Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus, and Ireland have had significant population growth.
Population Aging in Europe Accelerates
The report also highlights a major demographic structure change. The median age in the EU has increased from 39.6 years in 2005 to 44.9 years in 2025. Romania is among the countries where population aging has advanced most rapidly.
According to Eurostat, the median age has increased by 8.6 years in Romania in the last two decades – the largest growth in the European Union.
At the European level, nearly a quarter of the population is now over 65 years old, and 6% of EU citizens are over 80 years old. Italy has the most aged population, followed by Germany, Greece, and Portugal.
Fewer Children and Adolescents
Eurostat shows that persons under 15 years old represent only 14% of the EU population in 2025. In most member states, the proportion of children and adolescents has steadily decreased over the past 20 years.
Similarly, the trend for individuals under 19 years old is the same: their proportion has decreased in all EU countries. Ireland remains the country with the youngest population, while Italy and Malta are at the opposite end.
Romania Also Loses Population Density
The report also shows that Romania is among the countries that have experienced the largest declines in population density. If in 2004 Romania had 94 inhabitants per square kilometer, by 2024 the density had dropped to 81 persons/km².
In contrast, Malta has become the most densely populated country in the EU, with over 1,800 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Germany, France, and Italy Dominate EU Demographics
The most populous states in the European Union remain Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland. Together, they account for two-thirds of the EU population. Germany has approximately 84 million inhabitants, representing almost 19% of the total European population.