DecliningRomanian population persists with aging trend escalating

Romania's resident population fell by 31,545 individuals from the start of last year, now standing at 19,036,031 inhabitants, as per statistics data released by the National Institute of Statistics on August 29. According to the report, the aging trend remains on the rise.

, and Administrator

2025 September 12 . 12:09 AM

1 min read

Aging trend persists in Romania, leading to a decline in the nation's population

DecliningRomanian population persists with aging trend escalating

Romania faced a population decrease in both 2024 and 2025, with the resident population reducing to 19,036,031 inhabitants as of August 29, 20XX. This decline was primarily due to a negative natural growth of -101,800 persons.

In 2024, Romania continued to be a country of immigration, with the number of immigrants exceeding that of emigrants by 58,800 people. Men were the majority among both emigrants (57.6%) and immigrants (58.3%). However, the balance of international migration decreased compared to previous years.

The urban area, which accounted for 9,768,000 persons, experienced a decrease of 1.3% compared to 2024. The share of the 0-14 age group in the total population also decreased from 15.9% on January 1, 2024, to 15.6% as of January 1, 2025. On the contrary, the over-65 age group makes up 20.3% of the population in Romania as of the same date in 2025.

The demographic aging index increased from 125.8 to 130 elderly persons per 100 young persons as of January 1, 2025, indicating a deepening process of demographic aging. The demographic dependency ratio remained stagnant at 56.1 young and elderly persons per 100 adults.

The main reason for the emigration of people from Romania between 2024 and 2025 was the lack of affordable housing and job opportunities, combined with dissatisfaction with the local political situation. No specific information was provided about the population decrease in rural areas or the population growth rate for the previous year or any future projections.

As the population continues to age, Romania faces challenges in maintaining a balanced demographic structure and ensuring the sustainability of its social and economic development. Further research and policies are needed to address these issues and promote a more favourable demographic trend in the country.