The country has entered a spiral of rapid population shrinkage and aging, with each year causing strong changes.
According to official population figures on January 1, 2026, the total number of residents has suffered a decline of over 27 thousand people within a year, reducing by 1.2%, but the weight of young people is rapidly fading, while the number of elderly people is experiencing significant growth, especially in the most fragile age groups.
The demographic balance is rapidly shifting towards the very old. Data shows that the youngest age group, those aged 0 to 4, has shrunk by 2.3%, decreasing by around 2,477 fewer children in 2025 alone. This negative trend deepens even more among young people and those on the verge of entering the labor market.
The largest annual declines were recorded among young people aged 25-29, with a contraction of 4.4% or about 5,955 fewer people, as well as in the 30-34 age group, which marked the strongest contraction with 4.7%, which translates into 6,853 fewer individuals.
This decline in the working-age population and young couples reflects not only the decline in fertility, but also the continuing impact of emigration of the productive age population.