The population of Europe decreased by approximately 0.1 percent in 2024, falling to an overall total of approximately 745 million people. Since 1961, Europe's population growth rate has never exceeded one percent, and was even declining in the late 1990s and between 2020 and 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for the European Union (SPPOPGROWEUU) from 1961 to 2024 about EU, Europe, population, and rate.

The European countries which saw the greatest population growth in 2025 were Gibraltar, Kosovo and Iceland. Overall, Europe's population declined by 3.3 percent in 2025, with this varying by region from a 0.19 percent decline in northern Europe to 4.6 percent in southern Europe. All the countries which saw the largest declines in their population in 2025 were central and eastern European countries.

The population of Europe was estimated to be 745 million in 2024, an increase of around 4 million when compared with 2012. Over 35 years between 1950 and 1985, the population of Europe grew by approximately 157.8 million. But 35 years after 1985 it was estimated to have only increased by around 38.7 million. Since the 1960s, population growth in Europe has fallen quite significantly and was even negative during the mid-1990s. While population growth has increased slightly since the low of -0.07 percent in 1998, the growth rate for 2020 was just 0.04 percent. Which European country has the biggest population? As of 2024, the population of Russia was estimated to be approximately 144.8 million and was by far Europe's largest country in terms of population, with Turkey being the second-largest at over 87 million. While these two countries both have territory in Europe, however, they are both only partially in Europe, with the majority of their landmasses being in Asia. In terms of countries wholly located on the European continent, Germany had the highest population at 84.5 million, and was followed by the United Kingdom and France at 69.1 million and 66.5 million respectively. Characteristics of Europe's population There are approximately 384.6 million females in Europe, compared with 359.5 million males, a difference of around 25 million. In 1950, however, the male population has grown faster than the female one, with the male population growing by 104.7 million, and the female one by 93.6 million. As of 2024, the single year of age with the highest population was 37, at 10.6 million, while in the same year there were estimated to be around 136 thousand people aged 100 or over.

Actual value and historical data chart for European Union Population Growth Annual Percent

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia (SPPOPGROWECA) from 1961 to 2024 about Central Asia, Europe, population, and rate.

The total population in European Union was estimated at 450.4 million people in 2025, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - European Union Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2023, Malta ranked first by annual population growth among the 27 countries presented in the ranking. Malta's population growth amounted to 3.92 percent, while Ireland and Luxembourg, the second and third countries, had records amounting to 2.71 percent and 2.02 percent, respectively.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Central Europe and the Baltics (SPPOPGROWCEB) from 1961 to 2024 about Central Europe, Baltics, Europe, population, and rate.

This statistic shows the total population of the European Union from 2010 to 2025. The population is based on data from the most recent census adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census, or based on population registers. At the beginning of 2025, the total population of the European Union amounted to approximately 450.38 million inhabitants. See figures for the total population by continent here. The global population The global population is rapidly increasing. Between 1990 and 2015, the global population has increased by around 2 billion people, and it is estimated to have increased by another 1 billion people by 2030. Asia is the continent in the world with the largest population, followed by Africa and Europe. Asia has the two most populous nations in the world: China and India. In 2014, the combined population in China and India amounted to more than 2.6 billion people. The total population in Europe is around 741 million people. As of 2014, about 10.2 percent of the global population lived in Europe. Europe is the continent with the second highest life expectancy at birth in the world. Born in 2013, the average European was estimated to live for around 78 years. Stable economies as well as developing and emerging markets in Europe provide for good living conditions for foreign nationals; seven of the top twenty countries in the world with the largest gross domestic product in 2024 are located in Europe.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth: All Income Levels for Europe and Central Asia (SPPOPGROWECS) from 1961 to 2024 about Central Asia, Europe, income, population, and rate.

These summary metadata refer to the first results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.

Member States send to Eurostat the first results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference (T), containing the total population figure on 31 December of year T (further published by Eurostat as Population on 1 January of year T+1), total births and total deaths during year T. This data collection is defined under http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32013R1260&from=EN" target="_blank">Regulation 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics. Countries may also transmit to Eurostat, on voluntary basis, provisional data on total immigration, emigration and net migration during the year (T).

Eurostat's data collection on the above figures is called DEMOBAL and it is carried out in June of each year. Eurostat publishes these first demographic estimates in July of each year in the online database, in the table Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates (demo_gind).

These first demographic estimates may either be confirmed or updated by Eurostat's demographic data collection taking place in December each year (called Unidemo), whereby countries submit detailed breakdowns (e.g. by age and sex) of their yearly population data, including data on migration, both at national and at regional level. The online table Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates (demo-gind) will be accordingly updated. This table includes the latest updates on total population, births and deaths reported by the countries, while the detailed breakdowns by various characteristics included in the rest of the tables of the Eurostat database (Demography domain and Migration, for example the Population by citizenship and by country of birth table) may be transmitted to Eurostat at a subsequent date.

The online table Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates (demo-gind) contains time series going back to 1960; data before 2013 were collected by Eurostat from the national statistical offices on voluntary basis.

The individual metadata files reported by the countries are attached to this metadata file.

In 2024, Germany was the leading EU country in terms of population, with around 85 million inhabitants. In 2050, approximately 89.2 million people will live in Germany, according to the forecast. See the total EU population figures for more information. The global population The global population is rapidly increasing. Between 1990 and 2015, it increased by around 2 billion people. Furthermore, it is estimated that the global population will have increased by another 1 billion by 2030. Asia is the continent with the largest population, followed by Africa and Europe. In Asia,the two most populous nations worldwide are located, China and India. In 2014, the combined population in China and India alone amounted to more than 2.6 billion people. for comparison, the total population in the whole continent of Europe is at around 741 million people. As of 2014, about 60 percent of the global population was living in Asia, with only approximately 10 percent in Europe and even less in the United States. Europe is the continent with the second-highest life expectancy at birth in the world, only barely surpassed by Northern America. In 2013, the life expectancy at birth in Europe was around 78 years. Stable economies and developing and emerging markets in European countries provide for good living conditions. Seven of the top twenty countries in the world with the largest gross domestic product in 2015 are located in Europe.

Population Growth for the European Union was 0.21365 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Growth for the European Union reached a record high of 1.26548 in January of 1960 and a record low of -0.24336 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Growth for the European Union - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

Urban population growth (annual %) in European Union was reported at 0.49247 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. European Union - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Throughout the Common Era, Western Europe's population development fluctuated greatly. The population was very similar at the beginning and end of the first millennium, at around 25 million people. The largest decline in this period occurred in the sixth century, due to the Plague of Justinian, which the source claims to have killed around one third of the continent's population (although recent studies dispute this). Similarly, the population fell by almost 17 million throughout the 14th century, due to the Black Death.

Improvements in agriculture and infrastructure then saw population growth increase once more from the 15th century onwards, before the onset of the demographic transition saw a population boom throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Population Growth for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia was -0.67288 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Growth for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia reached a record high of 1.77144 in January of 1960 and a record low of -0.67288 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

• The dataset is part of Eurostat's collection of population and employment statistics. The code "NAMQ_10_PE" specifically refers to data related to employment and population trends in European countries and likely spans a range of years from 1980 to 2024.

Eurostat provides statistical data on various aspects of the labor market across Europe, including:

• Total Population – The total number of people residing in a particular country or region.
• Labor Force – The portion of the population that is either employed or actively looking for work.
• Employment Rate – The percentage of the working-age population that is employed.
• Unemployment Rate – The percentage of the labor force that is unemployed.
• Youth Employment Rate – The employment rate among young people (typically aged 15-24).

• Sectoral Employment – Employment distribution across various sectors like agriculture, industry, and services.

• **Details of the Dataset **

This dataset would typically cover European Union countries and potentially other European countries (depending on the specific version). The data likely spans multiple years (1980-2024) and provides insights into the demographic and economic changes in these countries over time.

-**Some example insights you might explore:**

Trends in Employment: Analyzing the employment and unemployment rates over time to see how they correlate with major economic events, such as the global financial crisis. Sectoral Shifts: Investigating how the structure of employment has shifted from agriculture and industry to services over the decades. Impact of Population Growth: Exploring how changes in population size relate to changes in employment, labor force participation, and unemployment.

• Link to Eurostat’s Dataset

You can access the Eurostat dataset directly using the following link:

• Eurostat – NAMQ_10_PE Dataset

This link takes you to Eurostat's Labor Force Survey (LFS) data, which includes datasets related to employment, unemployment, and other labor force indicators across EU countries. You can navigate and search for NAMQ_10_PE by using Eurostat’s filtering and search tools. Here, you can download data in various formats such as CSV, Excel, or TSV.

The population of Europe is expected to fall from ***** million in 2023 to just ***** million people by 2100, in the medium-variant scenario provided in this projection. In the scenario where the population declines even further, the population of Europe may fall to as low as ***** million by 2100, while in the high-variant projection, the population will increase to approximately ***** million.

EUROPOP2023 are the latest Eurostat long-term population projections produced at national level for 30 countries: all 27 European Union (EU) Member States and three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland), covering the time horizon from 2022 to 2100. Population projections are 'what-if scenario' that aim to show the hypothetically developments of the population size and structure based on a set of assumptions regarding fertility, mortality, and net migration. They are presented for a long time period that covers more than a half-century (50 years).

The datasets consist of the baseline population projections and five sensitivity tests, which are described as follows:

• no migration – it is assumed that net migration is zero for each year within the 2023-2100 time horizon;
• lower migration – it is assumed that the net migration is lower due to a 33% reduction in non-EU immigration flows for each year within the 2023-2100 time horizon;
• higher migration – it is assumed that the net migration is higher due to a 33% increase in non-EU immigration flows for each year within the 2023-2100 time horizon;
• lower fertility – it is assumed that the fertility rates are lower 20% than the baseline assumptions for each year within the 2023-2100 time horizon;
• lower mortality – it is assumed that the mortality rates are lower resulting in an increase of approximately two years in life expectancy at birth by 2070 compared to the baseline assumptions.

In each sensitivity test, the assumptions for the year 2022 were maintained as in the baseline projections. This is because, for that year, there is a combination of observed data (i.e. beneficiaries on temporary protections at the end of December 2022), information from the national authorities, and forecasting.

Data are available by single-year time interval, as detailed below:

• Projected population on 1 January by age and sex;
• Assumptions on future age-specific fertility rates, age-specific mortality rates and net migration levels;
• Projected life expectancy by age (in completed years) and sex.

Additionally, the demographic balances and indicators are available for the baseline projections and each of the five sensitive variants, including also:

• Total numbers of the projected live births and deaths;
• Projected population structure indicators including proportions of broad age groups in total population, age dependency ratios and median ages of the population (for each sex component).

STP2024 are the short-term population projections covering the time horizon from 2023 to 2050, and produced at national level for 30 countries: all 27 European Union (EU) Member States and three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland). Similar to long-term projections, these are 'what-if scenario' that aim to show the hypothetically developments of the population size and structure based on a set of assumptions regarding fertility, mortality and net migration. The latest demographic data published on Eurostat website, as of 06 September 2024, were used as input in building the assumptions, thereby including the published post-2021 census revisions and data related to the temporary protection granted to persons displaced from Ukraine due to Russia's invasion.

The dataset (proj_stp24) includes data by single-year time interval for two types of projections:

• Baseline projections:
  • Projected total population on 1 January, the working-age population (defined as persons aged from 15 to 74), and its share in the total population;
  • Assumptions on total fertility rates, life expectancy at birth by sex, and total net migration levels;
  • Total numbers of projected live births and deaths.

• No migration sensitivity test – it is assumed that the net migration is zero for each year within the 2024-2050 time horizon.
  • Projected total population on 1 January, the working-age population (defined as persons aged from 15to 74), and its share in the total population;
  • The 2023 net migration levels remain the same as in the baseline projections to reflect the nowcast data;
  • Total numbers of projected live births and deaths.

STP2025 are the latest short-term population projections covering the time horizon from 2024 to 2050, produced at national level for 30 countries: all 27 European Union (EU) Member States and three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland). Similar to long-term projections, these are 'what-if scenario' that aim to show the hypothetically developments of the population size and structure based on a set of assumptions regarding fertility, mortality, and net migration. The latest demographic data published on Eurostat website as of 15 May 2025, were used as input in building the assumptions, thereby including the published post-2021 census revisions and data related to temporary protection granted to persons displaced from Ukraine due to Russia's invasion.

The dataset (proj_stp25) includes data by single-year time interval for two types of projections:

• Baseline projections:
  • Projected total population on 1 January, working-age population (15-74 years) and its share in the total population;
  • Assumptions on total fertility rates, life expectancy at birth by sex, and total net migration levels;
  • Total numbers of projected live births and deaths.

• No migration sensitivity test – it is assumed that the net migration is zero in each year of the 2025-2050 time horizon.
  • Projected total population on 1 January, working-age population (15-74 years) and its share in the total population;
  • The 2024 net migration levels remain as in the baseline projections to reflect the nowcast data;
  • Total numbers of projected live births and deaths.