Poland's population to shrink by 6 million in 40 years?
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
23.11.2012 10:20
If Poland does not take action, its population will reduce from 38 to 32 million in 40 years time, says demographer Professor Zbigniew Strzelecki.
Zbigniew Strzelecki: photo PR/Emilia Iwanicka.
This will happen “if we do not act to decreasing fertility and stop migration,” Professor Strzelecki, who heads the government's Population Council, told Polish Radio.
Poland's birth rate is one of the lowest in Europe, as couples delay having children due to worries over finance.
To remedy the shrinking population, “we must therefore prepare to welcome immigrants of different cultures, which raises a variety of issues,” the demographer said.
The main source of immigration will be from Poland's eastern borders, where the demographic situation “is even worse than in Poland”.
Poland saw a jump in migration after it joined the EU in 2004, with hundreds of thousands finding jobs in the UK, Ireland and other nations such as the Netherlands. (pg)