Albania has lost nearly a quarter of its population since the early 2000s, marking the sharpest contraction among European countries.
According to Eurostat data, on January 1, 2026, Albania had around 2.34 million inhabitants, down from 3.06 million in 2000 (Eurostat reports figures published by INSTAT).
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In 25 years, the country’s population has decreased by approximately 721,000 people, or 23.6%. The data shows that Albania has lost almost one in every four residents it had at the start of the millennium.
This decline, according to data processed by “Monitor,” is the highest in Europe. The second country with the highest contraction is Bulgaria, which saw a reduction of 21.6% over the same period.
In third place is Kosovo, for which the contraction has been calculated since 2003, when the earliest data is reported. Since that period, Kosovo’s population has shrunk by 19.3%.
A sharp decline was also recorded by Lithuania, with 17.8%, followed by Romania with 15.2%, Croatia with 13.8%, Serbia with 13.2%, and Georgia with 11.1%.
In North Macedonia, the population decreased by 10%, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina it fell by 9.5%. Hungary lost 7.2% of its population, Poland 5%, Armenia 4%, Greece 3.8%, and Estonia 2.9%.
The data shows that almost the entire Western Balkans has lost population, but Albania remains at the top of the ranking for the rate of contraction.
Serbia has lost about one-eighth of its inhabitants compared to 2000, Croatia approximately 14%, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia lost about one-tenth.
The only exception in the region is Montenegro, where the population is 3.3% higher than in 2000.
Population decline driven by high emigration and gradual population aging
Albania is facing three simultaneous demographic shocks: high emigration, a falling birth rate, and rapid aging.
Emigration is the main factor influencing this trend. The continuous departure of young people has reduced not only the number of residents but also the base of the reproductive-age population. As a result, the number of births has fallen rapidly, while the ratio between young and old people is worsening.
Since the early 1990s, the country has been experiencing successive cycles of emigration that do not seem to be stopping, despite economic growth and improving incomes. According to the latest INSTAT data on net migration, more than 166,400 Albanians are reported to have left the country during the post-pandemic years from January 1, 2021, to 2026.
Albania, which for decades was considered one of the countries with the youngest population in Europe, has now reached the median age of the European Union. According to INSTAT data, the median age reached 45 years on January 1, 2026, up from 34.2 years in 2014. In just 12 years, the indicator increased by 10.8 years, about 4.5 times faster than in the EU.
This means that half of the Albanian population is now over the age of 45. The decline in birth rates and the emigration of young age groups are rapidly shifting the demographic structure towards older age groups.
In 2025, births reached their lowest historical level since the transition, at 22,500, down from 82,000 in 1990, while the natural increase is heading towards zero.
The consequences are not limited to the number of residents. The shrinking population reduces the consumer base, narrows the labor supply, and increases pressure on the pension system and healthcare services.
With fewer young people entering the labor market and more elderly people retiring, the ratio between contributors and beneficiaries worsens. At the same time, for several years, businesses have increasingly faced labor shortages, especially in sectors requiring skilled workers, and are trying to replace them with foreign employees.
Europe grows, despite having more deaths than births
While Albania and most Eastern European countries are losing population, the European Union continues to increase its number of residents.
On January 1, 2026, the EU population reached 452 million inhabitants, about 706,000 more than a year earlier. This was the fifth consecutive year of growth, after the decline recorded during the pandemic in 2021, Eurostat reported.
Compared to 2016, the European Union had 8 million more inhabitants, while compared to 2006 the increase was 16 million.
But the population increase is not coming from births. Since 2012, the EU has recorded more deaths than births. The negative natural balance has been offset by positive net migration.
This means that without the entry of immigrants, the European Union’s population would be in decline.
During 2025, the population grew in 16 EU countries. The highest growth rates were recorded in Malta, with 24.1 people per 1,000 inhabitants, Cyprus with 13.7, and Luxembourg with 13.1. The steepest declines were recorded in Latvia, Estonia, and Hungary.
Malta and Ireland, the strongest growth since 2000
In the long-term comparison, Malta has grown its population by 51.3% since 2000, the highest rate in Europe.
It is followed by Ireland with 45.9%, Cyprus with 44.3%, and Iceland with 41.3%. Andorra recorded growth of 35%, Azerbaijan 28%, Switzerland 27.4%, Liechtenstein 27.1%, and Norway 25.7%.
Spain grew its population by 22.5%, Sweden by 19.7%, and the United Kingdom by 19.3%. Significant growth was also recorded by Belgium with 16.8%, Austria with 15.2%, the Netherlands with 14.3%, and France with 14.2%.
These countries also face low birth rates and aging, but have managed to mitigate the natural loss by attracting immigrants.
More developed economies offer higher wages, jobs, public services, and institutional stability. This has turned them into destinations for the workforce from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and other countries.
Emigration is creating two different demographic realities in Europe. Host countries are increasing their population and meeting labor market needs, while countries of origin are losing young people, professionals, and working-age families./Monitor
