Athens, Greece – Greece has witnessed a concerning demographic shift, with official data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) revealing a significant 10.3% decrease in births for the year 2022. The total number of live births amounted to 76,541, compared to 85,346 in 2021, showcasing a stark decline. It’s essential to clarify that these statistics exclude stillbirths, which numbered 446 in 2022, reflecting a 1.5% reduction from the 453 cases reported in the previous year.
Conversely, the year 2022 saw 140,801 deaths (70,802 men and 69,999 women), marking a 2.2% decrease compared to the 143,923 deaths (73,420 men and 70,503 women) in 2021. The infant mortality rate also exhibited improvement, dropping from 3.48 in 2021 to 3.12 in 2022.
These newly disclosed figures underscore Greece’s demographic crisis, as the nation grapples with one of Europe’s lowest population reproduction rates. Marriages in 2022 reached 43,355 (comprising 21,381 religious and 21,974 civil ceremonies), signifying a 6.4% increase from the 40,759 marriages recorded in 2021. Additionally, the number of registered partnerships surged by 13.9%, rising from 11,550 in 2021 to 13,157 in 2022, including 394 partnerships between men and 113 between women. Divorces in 2022 totaled 14,477, reflecting a 4.0% increase compared to 2021, with mutual consent divorces comprising the majority.
Professor Nektarios Miltiadis, leading a research group on “healthy and active aging in Greece” at the University of Piraeus, emphasized the urgency of addressing Greece’s demographic challenges. He proposed increasing the employment of women, young individuals under the age of twenty-five, and even pensioners to counter the economic implications of a shrinking workforce.
Miltiadis highlighted that the issue of an aging population is not unique to Greece but impacts Western and developing countries alike, driven by advances in medicine, improved living conditions, and healthier lifestyles that contribute to increased life expectancy. However, this trend presents societal challenges, exemplified by Greece’s demographic crisis, characterized by an aging population and a declining birth rate.
