MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU population totalled 501 million on January first

Germany and France, the most densely populated in the EU

On January first 2010, the 27 European Union member states crossed the threshold of 500 million inhabitants “for the first time,” announced the French statistics institute INSEE, on 19 January. The precise number is 501.26 million.

The three most densely populated countries are Germany (81.7 million inhabitants), France (64.7), United Kingdom (62) and Italy (60).

In the space of a decade, the populations of Ireland (4.45) and Spain (46.08) grew by more than 15%, while the German population stagnated.

The population of Europe’s Eastern most countries is declining. Exceptions are Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia.

France, Ireland and the UK have the most fertile families with an average two children.

Spanish women lead in life expectancy with an average 84.5 years, a few months ahead of the French ladies. Regarding men, Spaniards live an average 79 years compared to 76.2 for the French.

The EU population stood at 499.8 million inhabitants a year earlier, on 1 January 2009, according to estimates published by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.

The number of births in the EU in 2009 was 5.4 million while deaths totalled 4.8 million. In 2008 the percentage of Europeans over 65 was equivalent to 17% compared to 15% a decade back, 1998.

The increase in French population was mainly because of more births while in Italy, Spain and Portugal, migration plays a significant role.

According to the Population division from the United Nations Department of economic and social affairs, the most populated countries include: China with 1.335. 5 billion; India with 1.175.75 billion; US, 308 million; Indonesia, 231.3 million; Brazil, 192.4 million; Russia, 141.915 million and Japan, 127.53 million.