Greece Faces Population Collapse: Alarming Mortality Rates and Declining Births
Greece is projected to experience a population decline of over a million people by 2050, according to data from the Greek national statistical agency ELSTAT.
This alarming trend could make Greece the first country to suffer from "population collapse," with mortality rates among otherwise healthy young people increasing due to heart failure, stroke, blood clots, and cancer.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has described this as a "ticking time bomb" and a "national threat." The news sparked a debate on social media, with billionaire Elon Musk expressing concern.
Greece is experiencing a population collapse due to low birth rates, with the birth rate falling by 30% from 2011 to 2021 to under 84,000 per year, according to the Hellenic Statistical Service.
This decline in population is a serious concern for Greece and the EU as a whole, with Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis calling it a priority.
Elon Musk also commented on the issue, acknowledging that Greece is one of many countries facing population decline.
Al-Jazeera reported that Greece is experiencing significant population decline and revenue loss due to low birth rates.
Each Greek citizen pays an average of 5,758 euros ($6,125) in taxes and social security contributions annually.
This decline in population is projected to result in a loss of nearly 2 billion euros in state revenue each year over the long term.
The Greek population is expected to fall by over a million by 2050.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that Greece had only one birth for every two deaths in 2022.
In contrast, in 1932, Greece had over 185,000 births and fewer than 118,000 deaths.