EU population increases for fourth consecutive year

As of January 1, 2025, the population of the European Union stood at 450.4 million people, an increase of 1,070,702 compared to the previous year, according to Eurostat data.

This marks the fourth consecutive year of population growth in the EU following a decline in 2021 caused by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The observed increase is largely attributed to rising migration flows in the post-COVID period.

Since 2012, negative natural change (more deaths than births) in the EU population has been outweighed by positive net migration.

Looking at a broader timeline, the EU’s population has grown from 354.5 million in 1960 to 450.4 million as of January 1, 2025—an increase of 95.9 million. However, the pace of growth has gradually slowed over recent decades: from an average annual increase of about 3 million in the 1960s to around 0.9 million per year between 2005 and 2024.

As of January 1, 2025, EU member states’ populations ranged from 83.6 million in Germany to 0.6 million in Malta. Germany (19% of the EU population), France (15%), and Italy (13%) were the most populous EU countries, accounting for nearly half (47%) of the bloc’s total population.

Between January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, eight EU countries experienced a population decline. The largest decrease was recorded in Latvia (a total population change rate of -9.9 per 1,000 people), followed by Hungary (-4.7), and Poland and Estonia (both -3.4).

Among the 19 EU countries that registered population growth, Malta led with an increase of +19.0 per 1,000 people, followed by Ireland (+16.3) and Luxembourg (+14.7).

By Vugar Khalilov