Data / Population and demography / The EU

Population and demography in the EU

The latest figures for 8 indicators in the EU, how the EU countries compare, and the source of each figure.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

Population

Population in the EU was 450.65 million (estimated) in 2025, up 0.3% from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Germany had the highest population (83.58 million) and Malta the lowest (574,250).

European Union (27), 2025450.65 millionUp 0.3% from 2024History
Highest, 202583.58 millionGermany
Lowest, 2025574,250Malta
Germany: 83,577,140 personsGermany83,577,140France: 68,882,600 personsFrance68,882,600Italy: 58,943,464 personsItaly58,943,464Spain: 49,128,297 personsSpain49,128,297Poland: 36,497,495 personsPoland36,497,495Romania: 19,043,151 personsRomania19,043,151Netherlands: 18,044,027 personsNetherlands18,044,027Belgium: 11,883,495 personsBelgium11,883,495Czechia: 10,909,500 personsCzechia10,909,500Portugal: 10,749,635 personsPortugal10,749,635
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. persons. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3).

Population growth rate

Of 27 EU countries in 2023, Malta had the highest population growth (3.99%) and Poland the lowest (-0.37%).

Highest, 20233.99%Malta
Lowest, 2023-0.37%Poland
Malta: 3.99 %Malta3.99Luxembourg: 2.02 %Luxembourg2.02Ireland: 1.88 %Ireland1.88Czechia: 1.78 %Czechia1.78Estonia: 1.58 %Estonia1.58Lithuania: 1.4 %Lithuania1.4Portugal: 1.37 %Portugal1.37Spain: 1.18 %Spain1.18Cyprus: 1.02 %Cyprus1.02Netherlands: 0.99 %Netherlands0.99
Top 10 EU countries, 2023. %. Source: World Bank.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: World Bank, Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW).

Natural change rate

Natural change rate in the EU was -3 per 1,000 inhabitants (estimated) in 2025, down 0.2 per 1,000 inhabitants from 2024.

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Ireland had the highest natural change rate (3.4 per 1,000 inhabitants) and Bulgaria and Latvia the lowest (-7.7 per 1,000 inhabitants).

European Union (27), 2025-3 per 1,000 inhabitantsDown 0.2 per 1,000 inhabitants from 2024History
Highest, 20253.4 per 1,000 inhabitantsIreland
Lowest, 2025-7.7 per 1,000 inhabitantsBulgaria and Latvia
Ireland: 3.4 per 1,000 inhabitantsIreland3.4Luxembourg: 3 per 1,000 inhabitantsLuxembourg3Cyprus: 2.5 per 1,000 inhabitantsCyprus2.5Sweden: 0.5 per 1,000 inhabitantsSweden0.5Denmark: 0.2 per 1,000 inhabitantsDenmark0.2Malta: 0.2 per 1,000 inhabitantsMalta0.2France: -0.1 per 1,000 inhabitantsFrance-0.1Belgium: -0.3 per 1,000 inhabitantsBelgium-0.3Netherlands: -0.5 per 1,000 inhabitantsNetherlands-0.5Austria: -1.3 per 1,000 inhabitantsAustria-1.3
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. per 1,000 inhabitants. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Population change, crude rate of natural change of population (demo_gind).

Median age

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Italy had the highest median age (49 years) and Ireland the lowest (39.6 years).

Highest, 202549 yearsItaly
Lowest, 202539.6 yearsIreland
Italy: 49 yearsItaly49Bulgaria: 47.2 yearsBulgaria47.2Greece: 47.2 yearsGreece47.2Portugal: 47.2 yearsPortugal47.2Spain: 45.8 yearsSpain45.8Croatia: 45.5 yearsCroatia45.5Germany: 45.5 yearsGermany45.5Slovenia: 45.5 yearsSlovenia45.5Hungary: 44.8 yearsHungary44.8Latvia: 44.4 yearsLatvia44.4
Top 10 EU countries, 2025. years. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Population structure indicators by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanind3).

Median age, July 1 estimate

Of 27 EU countries in 2023, Italy had the highest median age (47.46 years) and Cyprus the lowest (37.76 years).

Highest, 202347.46 yearsItaly
Lowest, 202337.76 yearsCyprus

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded.

Population aged 65 and over

Of 27 EU countries in 2025, Italy had the highest share of population aged 65 and over (24.7%) and Luxembourg the lowest (15.2%).

Highest, 202524.7%Italy
Lowest, 202515.2%Luxembourg

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Population structure indicators by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanind3).

Foreign-born population share

Of 26 EU countries in 2025, Luxembourg had the highest foreign-born share of the population (51.5%) and Poland the lowest (2.6%).

Highest, 202551.5%Luxembourg
Lowest, 20252.6%Poland

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Invokely, Foreign-born population share (Eurostat migr_pop4ctb).

Population density

Population density in the EU was 109.7 inhabitants per km² (estimated) in 2024, up 0.4% from 2023 (the 2023 figure is series break).

Of 27 EU countries in 2024, Malta had the highest population density (1,817.4 inhabitants per km²) and Finland the lowest (18.5 inhabitants per km²).

European Union (27), 2024109.7 inhabitants per km²Up 0.4% from 2023 (the 2023 figure is series break)History
Highest, 20241,817.4 inhabitants per km²Malta
Lowest, 202418.5 inhabitants per km²Finland

Highest and lowest EU countries

Full ranking of EU countries. Sources: Eurostat, European Commission, Population density by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3dens).

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. Eurostat. Population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_pjanaggr3/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-07.
  2. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  3. Eurostat. Population change, crude rate of natural change of population (demo_gind). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_gind/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. Eurostat. Population structure indicators by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanind3). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_pjanind3/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-07.
  5. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded. Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-10. CC BY 3.0 IGO.
  6. Invokely calculation from Foreign-born population share (Eurostat migr_pop4ctb). https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#foreign_born_share. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. Eurostat. Population density by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3dens). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/demo_r_d3dens/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-07.

Population and demography in other areas

More topics for the EU

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