Albania's population age and birth rate decline

The study stresses that increasing the number of elderly is taking place simultaneously with the migration of new families and low population fertility rates in the country.

Albania is the fastest aging country in the region and one of the fastest aging countries in Europe.

The report prepared by the Association “Together for Life” with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy has the centre of monitoring low fertility rates and contracting Albania's population.

According to official statistics, the average age this year is 37.2, but after 10 years it is projected to grow to 42.1.

The study predicts that if state institutions do not react with promotional policies, by 2050 the average age of the population in Albania could grow to 50, with a population increase of 0.08 %.

The mass migration, especially of the new age group, and the lack of stimulating policies, makes the speed of population aging significant”, says Denise Canika, coauthor of the study.

A steady decline in births in Albania is already taking place: In 2017 nearly 31 thousand births were approximately 29,000 births, and by 2019 there were about 28,000 and 500 fewer births.

Over 82,000 births were performed in 1990, but in 2019 there were over 28 thousand and 500 births, so only about 1/3 of births were born 3 decades ago, or a decline in births by 2/3 to 30 years.

The average number of births by mothers is 1.37, but this index is below the 2.1 birth per female rate so that the population can be renewed.

In the 1960 ' s, that rate was over 6, and in the 1990 ' s it was over 3, and today it is 1.37. The decline of birth is a very serious social and economic consequence for the future, researchers claim.

From January last year, the government gives each new birth $400,200 in bonus fees.

But after one year from the government's initiative for baby bonus, another drop in birth rates is seen in 2019.

In the third quarter, 7403 babies were born - a drop of 17.1 %, compared to 2018.

The report cites the health ministry, under which more than 37,180 newborns who benefited the baby's bonus in 2019, more than 10,000 are born abroad.

Researchers propose a combination between the slowdown policies of massive migration of the young population, increasing the quality of the educational system and the quality of living in the country, and the assistance of young couples, pregnant mothers, care for the baby's growth before and after birth.

The report proposes revising and implementing the law on reproductive health according to the best practices of European Legislation, as well as operating the Assistance Centre with contemporary diagnostic and infertility treatment methods, through the Public Health Service, at the Terciare/University Centre.

The age of marriage in Albania has also increased. Linditis has fallen for 20-24 age and 25-29. In 2018 the average age of young mothers in birth was 28,6 years of age, and in 2014 he was 27.7 years old.

So even the average age of women in the east has increased by nearly a year within a five-year period.

The aging process, researchers claim, is associated with the rapid growth of the elderly's dependence on about 20.5 seniors for 100 working - agers in 2019 to about 35 older people for every 100 working age.

Population age is bringing consequences to the economy, because social and health care capacity should be increased for more people; pension spending increases, but the number of contributors to the home insurance scheme is reduced.

According to the 2011 Census census, Albania had 2.8 million inhabitants when there were 3.3 million inhabitants in 1990.

The time has come for a new Census, which takes place every 10 years, but Albania's population in 2031, according to statistical predictions, can be nearly 2 million and 746 thousand people. / VOA/