Country faces crisis: Lowest birth rate recorded amid 158,000 deaths in a year

Warsaw (The Uttam Hindu): The European country of Poland is grappling with an unprecedented demographic crisis. The country's population is declining at a rate that the government and experts are calling it "worrying." The latest, alarming figures released by Poland's Government Statistical Office (GUS) have further exacerbated this crisis.

According to the report, Poland's population has declined by a staggering 158,000 people in just the past year. By the end of September 2025, the country's total population will have dropped to approximately 37.38 million (37.3 million), which is also 113,000 fewer than at the end of 2024.

The biggest reason for this decline is the historic low

birth rate. The GUS report shows that only 181,000 babies were born in the country between January and September 2025 (the first three quarters). This is 11,000 fewer than in the same period in 2024.

The population decreased by 0.30% in the first three quarters of 2025, meaning the country lost 30 people for every 10,000 inhabitants, worse than last year's figure of 27 per 10,000.

Why is Poland becoming devastated?

Experts say several factors are contributing to Poland's population decline. The most prominent is the country's total fertility rate (TFR) falling to a historic low of 1.11, which is not only the lowest in the European Union but also well below the 2.1 figure required for population stability.

This decline is being exacerbated by changing social priorities such as inflation, job insecurity, and the after-effects of the pandemic, which are leading young people to postpone marriage and the average age of first-time motherhood, rising from 22.7 years in 1990 to 29.1 years in 2024. Additionally, there is large-scale migration of young people in search of better jobs and a better life, while not enough new people (immigration) are entering the country to compensate for this migration.

Poland's population peaked at 40 million in 1989, but it has been steadily declining since then. The GUS report warned that if this trend continues, the country will face serious social and economic challenges.

Economists believe that a declining population and an aging population will have a direct impact on the labor market. A shortage of working people will hamper the country's economic growth and put significant pressure on the pension system and healthcare.