Despite reaching a record high, demographers predict a long-term decline. According to a report by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, the EU population reached 450.6 million — the highest ever, reports infohub.kz.
The largest population increases were in Luxembourg, Cyprus, and Malta, while the lowest were in Latvia, Hungary, and Estonia.
Average life expectancy in the EU reached 82 years in 2024. Migration is the main driver of population growth, experts say. This could lead to labor shortages and increased strain on healthcare and education, but also open opportunities for markets serving the elderly.
Analysts predict the population will begin to decline and reach 398 million by 2100.