According to the United Nations World Census Report and Projections to 2100, released last July, 32 countries around the world were experiencing permanent population decline before China’s first-ever population decline last January. .
Population decline can be caused by one or a combination of many potential trends, including aging, migration, birth rates and/or below-replacement birth rates, high infant mortality due to underdeveloped health systems, and high mortality rates. , violence, disease or other disasters.
Population reduction can have both positive and negative effects on a nation. On the one hand, this may mean a reduction in the population; Allocate more resources to the population and increase wealth per capita. In addition, the population decline is mitigating the problems associated with overcrowding in the affected areas, such as increased pollution, traffic, property and rent prices, and environmental degradation.
However, a decrease in the number of people in a society can also lead to an aging population and a shrinking workforce, especially for highly educated and highly skilled workers. This deficit can lead to an overall decline in the quality of life, publicly funded programs and the national gross domestic product.
Among the 33 countries in the world that are experiencing a decline in their population, only one Arab country (Lebanon) appeared on the list, driven mainly by migration processes, and like many European countries, which are experiencing massive migration of population off the land in addition to fertility decline.
Wars play an important role in population decline, especially in Russia and Ukraine, due to high neonatal death rates and the displacement of many people to new, safer societies.
