A few days ago we commented that Spain’s demographic engine is gripped. Very few babies are born Every day, they are not enough for the generational relief and, although we are heading to the record of inhabitants, this is thank you to immigration. In addition, more babies are born than 41 -year -old mothers than 25but it is not an exclusive problem from Spain.
And, to understand the scope in our most immediate environment, let’s see this graph prepared by Visual Capitalist which shows the fertility rate in Europe:
Fertility rate. It is the average number of children that a woman would have throughout her reproductive life (period between 15 and 49 years). It is estimated that 2.1 children per woman is the right rate for generational relief and is a long -term indicator. Bad news: according to UN estimates by 2025, in Europe there is no country that reaches that desired fertility rate.
A small green redoubt. Well, there is one: Monaco. The problem is that it is not something that is important in a Europe that has a very low fertility rate because its population is extremely small (only 39,000 residents) and any change in the indicator that is significantly alters the measurements. The economy is not a problem in Monaco.
Montenegro with 1.8 and Romania with 1.7 are the ones that complete the podium. In the lower part, we have Ukraine (which, due to their situation, is not representative) and countries such as Malta or Andorra with a rate of 1.1. Spain, next to Italy, San Marino or Lithuania, is also closer to the well than to see the light due to a rate of 1.2.
Decay. There are already those who said that The true challenge of the 21st century It would be the demographic because, although by 2080 we will be 2.3 billion more people On the planet, not all territories will grow homogeneously. In the European case, there are a number of issues that have formed the perfect cocktail so that both birth rates (births per 1,000 inhabitants) and fertility have collapsed in recent years.
The Independence age has increased These last two decades, standing above 30 years on average in the Spanish case. The rental price for the clouds prevents assets from saving or raising a child. And this, together with cultural factors, has caused the downturn of the fertility rate. A few decades ago, in fact, worldwide It was five children per woman. Today we settle for the aforementioned 2.1.
Immigration. That this generational relay does not occur has a multitude of implications, two of the most visible being the impossibility of maintaining systems such as pension and the lack of labor personnel. Now, something that can make the renovation rate immigration. In the Spanish case, four out of ten jobs From January to June 2024 they were covered by an immigrant, but in birth, immigration also has a positive impact.
In 2021, almost a third of babies born in Spain, 32.4%, He had at least one foreign father or mother. With the magnifying glass in hand, 42% were of Latin American origin, 28% African, 22% European and 7% Asian. Now, something that has been observed is that fertility rates of immigrant mothers tend to line with that of the local population.
World problem. As we say, beyond in Europe, demography is A problem in many countries. But although in this article we have put the focus on the countries of our environment because the representation of the Visual Capitalist map is very clear, if we look at the East, the situation is devastating.
South Korea either Japan They have suffered a demographic debacle. China, more of the same, and although the three countries have launched many Measures to stop that depopulationsomething they have in common is the intention of reactivating their population thanks to the immigrant labor. Either in the field… either hiring babysitters so that fathers and mothers can get to work.
Returning to Europe, what all graphics and measurements indicate is that it is not a passing problem, but a long -term challenge with very deep implications. In Asia there are countries that seem trace with some proposalsbut it is something that will be seen in the medium and long term.
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