Demographic change in Germany - statistics & facts
Germany is facing two things that are changing the demographic landscape of the country. The first is that thanks to modern medicine as well as an increasing awareness of what one must do to stay healthy, people are living longer. The second factor is that Germany is facing a declining birth rate. These trends are not unique to Germany and can be seen in other countries, but nevertheless, there will still be ramifications, mainly on the economy.
There is no doubt that the current demographic trend in Germany is a decrease in population and an increase in the number of older people. If this continues there will be a higher strain on the workforce because not only will there be a labor shortage but there will also need to be an increase in the amount of money that goes into a pension fund so that those who no longer work will still be able to afford living costs. One solution to increasing the labor population is allowing higher rates of immigration, however, it is also then important that there is social infrastructure in place to support this.
An aging population and smaller households?
In general, the term demographic change refers to an increasingly established departure from demographic models which had been common earlier which often were based on people not living as long and women having a large number of children. The change in German demographic structure is also noticeable because of the prevalence of older age groups. When looking to the future, forecasts predict population numbers in Germany will fall in the following decades, this is largely due to the predicted decrease in the birth rate. Germany is seeing a large increase in one-person households in Germany, and the same can be said for two-person households. Meanwhile, larger household numbers have been decreasing. Though it doesn't necessarily follow that every household with more than two members includes children, this is still a pattern that can also be connected to changes in family planning among the population.Births and marriages
Most German families with children had one child. Although the marriage rate has not decreased, and this (at least traditionally) has often been seen as a precursory step to starting a family, the number of births is decreasing. Marriage is, however, not a completely reliable indicator of population growth because in Germany those who get married receive a tax break so it may not be the case that they intend to start a family. Furthermore, many people see marriage as an outdated tradition and do not feel the need to marry their partner before starting a family. Based on the most recent data, approximately 1.35 children were born per woman. If this trend is to carry on then the population will continue to decrease, which can have negative impacts on the workforce and consequently the economy.There is no doubt that the current demographic trend in Germany is a decrease in population and an increase in the number of older people. If this continues there will be a higher strain on the workforce because not only will there be a labor shortage but there will also need to be an increase in the amount of money that goes into a pension fund so that those who no longer work will still be able to afford living costs. One solution to increasing the labor population is allowing higher rates of immigration, however, it is also then important that there is social infrastructure in place to support this.
