2014 demographic upswing confirmed

Almost 4,000 more births than deaths were recorded in Poland during 2014, which has confirmed previous speculation that the year would see a change in demographic trends.

However, when emigration is factored in, Poland’s population fell by 12,000 over the course of 2014 compared to the previous year.

In net terms over 15,000 Poles emigrated from the country in 2014, a slight decrease on the 20,000 net that left in 2013.

Poland’s end of year population stood at 38 million, 484 thousand. This represents a -0.03% annual population growth, an improvement from 2013’s -0.1%.

According to GUS data this means Poland is now the 33rd country in the world in terms of population size, and 6th in the EU.

2014 had previously been expected to be the worst year for Polish demographic trends since the end of World War II, though the higher birth rate has helped prevent this scenario from occurring.

In addition to population changes GUS data also highlighted an increase in the marriage rate. There were 188,000 new marriages in 2014, up 7% from the previous year, while the number of divorces remained unchanged.

Previous predictions made by GUS concerning Poland’s long term demographic prospects have remained unchanged. The Statistical Office currently forecasts that Poland’s population will fall to 36.5 million by 2035, and 34 million by 2050. (sl)

Source: Rzeczpospolita