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Albania is aging at a rapid pace! 30% of the population is over 60 years old

Politiko 2025-07-10 09:46:23

Albania is aging at a rapid pace! 30% of the population is over 60 years old

Demographic trends are worsening year by year, with a sharp decline in the young population and an increase in the number of retirees.

The latest data from INSTAT for 2024 show a significant increase in the number of citizens over the age of 60, while the total population is declining.

The age group over 60 reached 691,788 people, or 30% of the total population of 2.36 million in 2024. Just a year earlier, in 2023, this percentage was 28.15%, while the population over 60 consisted of 673,037 people. In 2011, the population over 60 was as much as 15% of the total population.

In the 65–69 age group, there was an increase of over 5,800 people in 2024 compared to 2023. In the 75–79 age group, there was an increase of more than 7,300 people.

The age group over 85 has increased from 36,840 thousand in 2023 to 39,996 thousand, an indicator of increasing life expectancy.

In contrast, the total population shrank by over 27 thousand inhabitants in just one year, from 2,390,942 to 2,363,314 with a decrease of 1.2%, while the 0-29 age group shrank three times more by 30 thousand people or over 4%.

With a larger number of retirees and a potentially lower number of contributors (due to emigration and declining fertility), the financial sustainability of pension schemes is in question, while the healthcare system will face a burden.

Experts warn that in the absence of clear policies to cope with aging, Albania could face irreversible consequences for its economic and social development. Among the measures recommended are boosting fertility through support for families, the return of young emigrants, and investments in technology and care for the elderly.

Albania is already in the demographic transition phase towards a society with a high percentage of elderly people. Public policies must adapt to this new reality, guaranteeing social protection for the elderly and an economic system that can cope with this transition./ Monitor

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