Poland has one of the largest population declines in the EU in ‘24
According to Eurostat, Poland experienced one of the largest population declines in the EU in 2024, with the population dropping below 36.5 million to 36.497 million as of January 1, 2025. The sharpest decline occurred in Latvia (-9.9 per 1,000 people), followed by Hungary (-4.7), and both Poland and Estonia (-3.4). In total, eight EU countries saw population decreases. Meanwhile, Malta (+19.0), Ireland (+16.3), and Luxembourg (+14.7) recorded the highest population growth rates.
The overall EU population reached 450.4 million, up by over 1 million from 2024—marking the fourth consecutive year of growth after a COVID-related decline in 2021. Eurostat attributes this trend mainly to increased post-pandemic migration.
