Population of Europe from 1950 to 2023

Between 1950 and 1985, Europe’s population grew by approximately 157.8 million people over a span of 35 years. However, in the following 35 years, after 1985, the population only increased by about 38.7 million. Since the 1960s, population growth in Europe has declined significantly and even became negative during the mid-1990s. Although there has been a slight increase in growth since reaching a low of -0.07 percent in 1998, the growth rate for 2020 was just 0.04 percent.

The Second Demographic Transition began in Europe after World War II and was characterized by a dramatic shift from altruistic to individualistic norms and attitudes. According to van de Kaa (1987), this transition was the principal demographic feature of post-war Europe, marked by fertility declining from above the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman to well below it.

The post-war period initially saw a brief baby boom in the 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in Northern and Western Europe. However, this was followed by a steady decrease in fertility during the 1970s, with rates falling below the net reproduction level. By 2023, the European Union recorded a historic low of just 1.38 live births per woman, ranging from 1.06 in Malta to 1.81 in Bulgaria.