Visualizing Population Decline by Country

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Demographics

Ranked: The 20 Countries With the Fastest Declining Populations

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Population decline by country

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Visualizing Population Decline by Country

Since the mid-1900s, the global population has followed a steep upwards trajectory.

While much of this growth has been concentrated in China and India, researchers expect the next wave of growth to occur in Africa. As of 2019, for example, the average woman in Niger is having over six children in her lifetime.

At the opposite end of this spectrum are a number of countries that appear to be shrinking from a population perspective. To shed some light on this somewhat surprising trend, we’ve visualized the top 20 countries by population decline.

The Top 20

The following table ranks countries by their rate of population decline, based on projected rate of change between 2020 and 2050 and using data from the United Nations.

RankCountryDecline 2020-2050
1🇧🇬 Bulgaria22.5%
2🇱🇹 Lithuania22.1%
3🇱🇻 Latvia21.6%
4🇺🇦 Ukraine19.5%
5🇷🇸 Serbia18.9%
6🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina18.2%
7🇭🇷 Croatia18.0%
8🇲🇩 Moldova16.7%
9🇯🇵 Japan16.3%
10🇦🇱 Albania15.8%
11🇷🇴 Romania15.5%
12🇬🇷 Greece13.4%
13🇪🇪 Estonia12.7%
14🇭🇺 Hungary12.3%
15🇵🇱 Poland12.0%
16🇬🇪 Georgia11.8%
17🇵🇹 Portugal10.9%
18🇲🇰 North Macedonia10.9%
19🇨🇺 Cuba10.3%
20🇮🇹 Italy10.1%

Many of these countries are located in or near Eastern Europe, for reasons we’ll discuss below.

The first issue is birth rates, which according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), have fallen since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Across the region, the average number of children per woman fell from 2.1 in 1988 to 1.2 by 1998.

Birth rates have recovered slightly since then, but are not enough to offset deaths and emigration, which refers to citizens leaving their country to live elsewhere.

Eastern Europe saw several waves of emigration following the European Union’s (EU) border expansions in 2004 and 2007. The PIIE reports that by 2016, 6.3 million Eastern Europeans resided in other EU states.

The Outliers

There are two geographical outliers in this dataset which sit on either side of Europe.

Japan

The first is Japan, where birth rates have fallen continuously since 1970. It wasn’t until 2010, however, that the country’s overall population began to shrink.

By the numbers, the situation appears dire. In 2021, 811,604 babies were born in Japan, while 1.44 million people died. As a result of its low birth rates, the island nation also has the world’s highest average age at 49 years old.

The Japanese government has introduced various social programs to make having kids more appealing, but these don’t appear to be getting to the root of the problem. For deeper insight into Japan’s low birthrates, it’s worth reading this article by The Atlantic.

Cuba

The second country is Cuba, and it’s the only one not located within the Eastern Hemisphere. Cuba’s fertility rate of 1.7 children per woman is the lowest in the Latin American region. It can be compared to countries like Mexico (2.2), Paraguay (2.5), and Guatemala (3.0).

Cuba’s immigration is also incredibly low compared to its neighboring countries. According to the International Organization for Migration, immigrants account for just 0.1% of its total population.

Demographics

Mapped: The World’s 20 Fastest Growing Populations

In this graphic we show the world’s fastest-growing populations, with many set to double in less than a quarter century.

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Map showing the countries with the fastest growing population, represented in years for it to double.

The World’s Fastest-Growing Populations

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Africa is home to 16 of the top 20 fastest-growing populations, while the Middle East holds four.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is forecast to reach a population of 225.6 million—up from 112.8 million—as soon as 2047.

At current rates, it will take 133 years for America’s population to double given aging demographics and low fertility rates.

By contrast, several countries in Africa and the Middle East are set to double in a quarter century. For instance, Kinshasa, in the DRC, is forecast to be among the most populous cities worldwide by 2080 given rapid population growth.

This graphic shows the fastest-growing populations in the world, based on data from the United Nations.

Years for the Fastest Growing Populations to Double in Size

Below, we show countries with the fastest annual doubling rates at current projections:

CounttryNumber of Years Forecasted
for Population to Double
Population (2025)Region
🇴🇲 Oman205.5MMiddle East
🇸🇾 Syria2025.6MMiddle East
🇨🇫 Central African Republic215.5MAfrica
🇸🇴 Somalia2119.7MAfrica
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo22112.8MAfrica
🇳🇪 Niger2227.9MAfrica
🇸🇩 Sudan2251.7MAfrica
🇦🇴 Angola2339MAfrica
🇲🇱 Mali2425.2MAfrica
🇹🇿 Tanzania2470.6MAfrica
🇾🇪 Yemen2441.8MMiddle East
🇲🇷 Mauritania255.3MAfrica
🇲🇿 Mozambique2535.6MAfrica
🇿🇲 Zambia2521.9MAfrica
🇦🇫 Afghanistan2643.8MMiddle East
🇹🇩 Chad2621MAfrica
🇺🇬 Uganda2651.4MAfrica
🇨🇲 Cameroon2729.9MAfrica
🇲🇼 Malawi2722.2MAfrica
🇪🇹 Ethiopia28135.5MAfrica

As we can see, Oman and Syria are set to double their population in just 20 years.

Overall, the population of Arab states are projected to double in 36 years, supported by average fertility rates of 3.2 births per women. Yemen and Afghanistan each are set to double in size in 24 and 26 years, respectively.

In Africa, the Central African Republic and Somalia are set to reach this milestone in 21 years, making them the fastest-growing populations on the continent. Perhaps even more strikingly, the DRC, with a population of 112.8 million in 2025, could double by 2047.

Going further, the DRC is set to become the fifth-most populous country in 2100, up from 15th in 2025. Meanwhile, Nigeria is set to the fourth-largest by population after India, China, and Pakistan.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the fastest shrinking countries in the world.

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Demographics

How Europe’s Cities Have Grown Since 1975

Explore how major cities like London, Paris, and Moscow have grown.

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Map showing how Europe’s urban sprawl has expanded steadily since 1975.

How Europe’s Cities Have Grown Since 1975

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Europe’s urban areas form an extensive and continuous corridor, making it one of the most developed regions in the world.
  • Metropolitan areas like London and Paris have expanded steadily through a combination of sprawl and densification.

Europe’s cities have changed dramatically in size and shape since 1975. Urban areas across the continent have sprawled outward, merging into large corridors of continuous development. This visualization highlights the urban growth of major European cities, showing how population and settlement patterns have evolved.

The data for this map comes from World Population Review and Copernicus.

The Largest Urban Areas

Moscow leads as Europe’s most populous city, with over 12.7 million people projected by 2025. Paris follows closely with 11.3 million, while London ranks third with nearly 10 million. These cities have long histories of urban development and continue to expand, both in terms of area and density.

CityCountryPopulation in 1975Population in 2025
MoscowRussia7,623,00012,737,400
ParisFrance8,558,00011,346,800
LondonUnited Kingdom7,124,0009,840,740
MadridSpain3,890,0006,810,530
BarcelonaSpain3,679,0005,733,250
Saint PetersburgRussia4,325,0005,597,340
RomeItaly3,300,0004,347,100
BerlinGermany3,130,0003,580,190
MilanItaly3,133,0003,167,450
AthensGreece2,738,0003,155,320
LisbonPortugal2,103,0003,028,270
ManchesterUnited Kingdom2,370,0002,832,580
KyivUkraine1,926,0002,797,553
BirminghamUnited Kingdom583,0002,704,620

Southern Europe’s Urban Growth

Madrid and Barcelona have a combined urban population exceeding 12.5 million. Italian cities like Rome, Milan, and Naples also feature prominently, reflecting decades of steady growth tied to industry and migration.

Fast-Growing Second-Tier Cities

Several cities outside the traditional top three have seen striking increases in population since 1975. Madrid’s urban population nearly doubled from 3.9 million to 6.8 million, while Kyiv grew from 1.9 million to nearly 2.8 million. Birmingham saw the most dramatic percentage rise—from just 583,000 to over 2.7 million.

From Lisbon to Saint Petersburg, most of the featured cities experienced substantial population growth over the past five decades.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: European Countries With the Most Immigrants on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

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