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).

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

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The country’s population fell by around 430,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2023. The nearly 14% decline brought the resident population to about 2.4 million, a drop that the OECD report, “SME Policy Index: Western Balkans and Turkey 2026 – Albania Economic Profile,” links to continued emigration and low birth rates.

The report, which assesses policies and conditions for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the country, underlines that the pressure on the labor market goes beyond the number of residents who have left.

The number of Albanians living abroad was estimated at more than 1.2 million in 2024, or more than 230,000 people more than in 2015.

The emigration rate reached 31.1%, the second highest in the Western Balkans and Turkey.

The trend may continue. A 2023 survey showed that nearly two-thirds of the working-age population, about 67%, would consider emigrating if given the opportunity, while about 13% said they were likely to leave in the coming years.

Departures are increasingly concentrated among highly qualified workers, increasing pressure on companies seeking specialized staff.

Around 95% of surveyed businesses called for stronger government action to retain talent in the country and address labor market gaps.

At the same time, the population remaining in Albania is ageing rapidly. The median age rose from 35.5 years in 2011 to 44.3 years in 2024.

One in five residents is now aged 65 or older. Between 2024 and 2025 alone, the number of residents over 65 increased by more than 21,000 people.

Over the same period, the number of young people aged 15-29 fell by more than 18,000. The combination of emigration and ageing has caused the working-age population to shrink by 18.3% since 2011, narrowing the pool from which businesses can recruit workers.

Reskilling workers

On the other hand, the pace of workforce reskilling remains low. Only 1.6% of people aged 25-64 took part in education or training during 2024.

This share was just 12% of the European Union average, where participation reached 13.3%. The gap with the EU is widening. Participation in adult education in Albania has increased by only 0.5 percentage points since 2016, while in the European Union the indicator has risen by more than three percentage points over the same period.

Low participation in training is becoming more problematic as demand for workers rises. Albania recorded more than 61,000 job vacancies in 2023, an increase of 54% compared with a year earlier. Around 75% of them were newly created positions.

The increase in vacancies was not accompanied by a similar decline in unemployment. The unemployment rate remained at 9.4% in 2024, while long-term unemployment stood at 6.6%, compared with 1.9% in the European Union.

Industry accounted for 33.8% of vacancies, trade 14.6%, while accommodation and food services made up 14.2%.

According to the OECD, the combination of a high number of vacancies with persistent unemployment shows that the problem is not only linked to a lack of jobseekers.

It reflects a structural mismatch between the skills employers require and those offered by the existing workforce.

Without expanding reskilling and training programs, especially in the sectors creating the most jobs, the report warns that this gap could persist or widen, limiting both economic growth and employment outcomes./ Monitor

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The report shows that in the first quarter of the year, 108,475 citizens from countries outside the European Union were ordered to leave the territory of a member state. Of these, 34,550 people returned to their countries of origin following the enforcement of the orders.

Compared with the same period in 2025, departure orders fell by 12.8%, while the number of returns increased by 8.1%.

As for those who received orders to leave EU territory, Algerian citizens top the list with 11,105 cases. They are followed by Moroccans with 6,435 and Syrians with 5,335.

For returns to countries of origin, Turkish citizens rank first with 3,555 people, followed by Georgians with 2,060 and Albanians with 2,050.

According to Eurostat data, Albanians account for 5.9% of the total number of people returned from the European Union during this period. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, the number of returned Albanians increased by 4.6%.

Among member states, Germany recorded the highest number of returns to third countries, with 7,300 people. It was followed by France with 3,775 and Poland with 2,660.

The report also underlines that 59.6% of returns from the European Union were carried out voluntarily, while 40.4% were forced returns.

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