Albania had the fifth lowest birth rate in Europe in 2020, with just 1.32 live births per woman, a decrease of 0.2% on the year before, according to data from Eurostat.
The country is facing a demographic crisis due to a rapidly ageing population, mass emigration of young people, and a declining birth rate. In 2011, the birth rate was 1.65, while in 2021 it is predicted to have falled further to around 1.13.
But in terms of 2020 data, the Albania ranks among the bottom five in Europe, along with Malta, Spain, Italy, and North Macedonia.
According to Eurostat, in 2020 4.07 million babies were born in the EU which marks a decrease since 2008 when 4.68 million were born.
Despite a general decrease, France has the highest birth rate in Europe with 1.83 live births per woman, followed by Romania (1.80), Czechia (1.71), and Denmark (1.68).
Back in Albania, the regions with the biggest decrease in fertility rates include Kukes with 38%, Berat with 34.3%, and Gjirokastra with 32.2%.
Data from the European Training Foundation this week showed that alongside decreasing birth rates, emigration remains a significant issue. Some 42,000 people left the country last year, mainly younger people and those with a higher level of education.
Furthermore, the population of Albania shrunk by 1.3% in 2021 according to the National Institute of Statistics’s (INSTAT) yearly demographics report.
Albania to Witness Labour Shortages by 2030 Due to Emigration
