Dramatic Report: These 18 European Countries Could Disappear Within Generations
Europe is facing a demographic crossroads. Fertility rates across the continent have plummeted to unprecedented lows, with more people dying than being born in many countries. According to experts, unless trends reverse, entire nations may gradually cease to exist within a few generations.
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A report published this week by Euronews paints a grim picture: while a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman is needed to maintain a stable population, many European nations are now reporting rates well below 1.5 - some approaching outright demographic collapse.
Germany, Italy, and Austria Sound the Alarm
In Germany, fertility fell to 1.35 in 2024, the lowest since 1994. The country’s federal statistics office admits the only population growth came from net immigration - and even then, the overall increase was a mere 0.1%, or 121,000 people. “More people died than were born,” the office noted.
Austria reported its lowest birth rate ever - 1.32, a 0.5% drop in the number of births compared to the previous year.
Italy is on track to become what experts describe as a “human desert”. With a birth rate of just 1.18, only six babies are born for every 1,000 people - while 11 people die. The population has now fallen below 60 million. While immigration has slowed the decline, it hasn’t stopped it. In fact, three times as many Italians are leaving the country than returning.
Even France Is Falling
France, long considered one of Europe’s most fertile nations, saw its fertility rate fall to 1.62 in 2024 - the lowest since the end of World War I. In the past 15 years, French fertility has declined by 20%, and the current birth-death surplus is a mere 17,000 - the smallest since World War II. One bright spot: life expectancy has reached a record high of 85.6 years for women and 80 for men.
Outliers: England, Wales, and Spain
There are some surprising exceptions. England and Wales recorded their first rise in births since 2021- up 0.6% - thanks in part to a 14% increase in births to fathers over 60. Births to younger parents actually dropped. Also notable: 40% of children in England and nearly 20% in Wales were born to foreign-born parents.
Spain also broke the trend, projecting a 0.4% rise in fertility in 2024, driven largely by a sharp increase in births to women over 40 - a number that has risen 8.5% in the past decade.
Northern Europe Is in Trouble
In Finland, the fertility rate fell to 1.25 - the lowest since national records began in 1776. Neighboring Sweden isn’t far behind, with a rate of 1.43, also its lowest ever.
Eastern Europe: Government Incentives Not Enough
Even with aggressive pronatalist policies, Hungary and Poland remain in the “low-fertility club.” Poland’s rate is now 1.1, nearly half of what it was in 1990. Hungarian births dropped to 77,500 in 2024 - the fewest in recorded history—with a fertility rate of 1.38.
Women in both countries are also becoming mothers at later ages, further shrinking the window for population growth.
A Worrying Future
The big picture is alarming: in order to maintain demographic stability, every couple needs to have at least two children. But in much of Europe, fertility rates hover around one, and population decline is no longer a prediction - it’s already happening.
If trends persist, demographers warn that up to 18 countries in Europe could face population collapse or existential demographic shifts within the coming decades.
The question now is no longer if - but how fast.