Thursday, July 26th 2012 - 09:07 UTC

Immigration compensated for fewer babies, helped Germany increase population

The number of babies born in Germany sank to a record low in 2011, official statistics showed Monday, but a surge in immigration to Europe's top economy led its population to grow.

Babies born in 2011 sank to a record low

Last year around 663,000 children were born in Germany, down 2.2% from 2010, according to preliminary data released by the federal statistics office Destatis.

It was the lowest number recorded in Germany since 1946 and around half as many babies as were born in West and East Germany in 1964, at the height of the post-war baby boom.

In 2011 around 852,000 people died in Germany, 0.7% fewer than the previous year.

“As in all years since 1972, more people died than children were born,” Destatis said in a statement. “In 2011 the difference reached about 190,000 in 2010 and 181,000 in 2010.”

However Destatis expert Reinhold Zahn told local news agency DPA that the number of people in Germany nevertheless rose last year as about 279,000 more people moved to the country as left it -- the highest number in a decade.

The strong influx, driven in part by Germany's status as a refuge from the debt crisis engulfing stricken countries, led the country's population to rise by nearly 100,000 people.

However the long-term trend points to the German population shrinking, figures show. It has around 82 million today but statistics indicate it could be home to as many as 17 million fewer people in 50 years' time.

Like other advanced economies, Germany is facing a snowballing population crisis, leaving the country short of workers and adding to the strain on already stretched public coffers.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is childless, has introduced a raft of measures aimed at boosting the birth rate, including generous parental leave allowances and an increase in the number of kindergarten places.
 

Published in: Politics, International.
Tags: Angela Merkel, Destatis, Germany, imigration law, Reinhold Zahn.

14 comments Feed

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1 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 09:41 am Report abuse
Unless we start producing babies again and fast, we really need immigration as the anti-immigrant policies of the right would also lead to our pensioners having no-one to look after them and keep the economy going to pay their pensions
2 Forgetit87 (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 10:42 am Report abuse
For all of the European populist talk that immigration is enabled by First World political correctness, by left-wing multiculturalism, or by an abused asylum system, the fact is that European governments, including right-wing ones, quietly lure immigrants due to negative demographic trends among native Europeans. Europeans are old and don't have enough children. If left on their own, they would as a result have much smaller job markets and a swollen proportion of retirees: in other words, fiscal and pension crises to add to their current woes.
3 Conor (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 06:16 pm Report abuse
@2
Or maybe they come here for a superior quality of life then shitty Argentina? Any way what do you care Mr Racist, pathetic Dick ? Haven't had that apology yet.
4 Forgetit87 (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 09:13 pm Report abuse
I think your countries have the ability to curb illegal immigration if they want to. They choose not to, and for the reason I emphasized above. And by the way, you're a pitiful creature for letting yourself get obsessed about some internet blogger's opinions, but since you seem so anxious to have an apology, here we go: if you had relatives or friends who died in IRA attacks against British squatters, they pretty much deserved what they got.
5 lsolde (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 08:48 am Report abuse
@4 Youneed forgetting,
You're brave little tranny, hiding in Brazil.
Bet you would shriek if Conor got ahold of you.
6 Ira Curtis (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 12:31 pm Report abuse
The new Arian race....

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bedouin_family-Wahiba_Sands.jpg
7 DanyBerger (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 02:29 pm Report abuse
@Curtis

You should not expose your family photos on a public forum.
8 Forgetit87 (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 04:22 pm Report abuse
@lsolde

And you're an empty old bimbo whose proven abilities don't go beyond spouting repetitive slogans and flirt with male bloggers, something you've been doing for, what? Well over a year, no? Quite a sad occupation for an old woman. Sorry that I'm not impressed by internet armchair warriors with their of-course-very-serious suggestions of solving internet disagreements with the fist, but I doubt Conor, or Britards in general, really know what a fight is. I don't fear anyone from here, but I won't let twats influence my real life either.
9 lsolde (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 09:25 pm Report abuse
@8 Forgetit87,
Jealous of the real thing, are we, forgetit?
l've never had trouble in attracting the opposite sex. Still don't.
And you?
You have a lot of hate in your soul, not good for you, lad.
10 Forgetit86 (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 09:44 pm Report abuse
Funny; I get stalked and insulted, and when I lash back, I'm the one who's hateful. You're not interesting, well informed, funny, or smart -- you're a boring bimbo. And whenever I can, I avoid reading your posts or intereacting with you. Extend me the same kindess, s'il vous plaît.
11 lsolde (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 09:52 pm Report abuse
@10 Forgetit86,
Who insulted you?
Who stalked you?
Moi?
l don't care what you think of me, but you are lying.
You DO read my posts, or you wouldn't be able to form an opinion of me.
C'est ne fait rien.
12 Forgetit86 (#) Jul 27th, 2012 - 10:01 pm Report abuse
Sure, sure, I read everything you write all the time. Since you don't have much going on in your life, and need this to feel important, do believe this if you want to.
13 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 28th, 2012 - 07:46 am Report abuse
Forgetit I agree with your anticollonial politics to the extent that I'm regularly called a traitor by the imperialists on here like Conqueror. But that really doesn't mean thinking individual Protestant civilians in the North of Ireland “deserved what they got”, the whole thing was a tragedy, caused by 50 years of partition and sectarian opression but that doesn't mean we should be callous about civilian deaths. I support the peace process and applaud the leadership of Sinn Fein for being the driving force in it, it seems that ever since they took over in the 80s Gerry Adams and Maritin McGuinness have been working to put the republican movement back on the political, rather than military, ground where it belongs, now with great results. Incidently it was always the Protestant loyalist terrorists who were more likely to target individual Catholic civilians who they believed “deserved what they got”!
14 lsolde (#) Jul 28th, 2012 - 08:53 am Report abuse
@12Forgetit86,
Thank you for reading my informative posts.
You make me feel so happy.
Actually(l feel l can confide in you, we are almost old friends!), l have had such a tempestuous life up to now that l'm relishing the peace & quiet.
l have farm work to do.
l love my rose garden & vegetable garden.
Put good food on the table for my tribe & still find time to surf the net & bait silly malvinistas.
Well, Forgetit86, its definitely coffee time, so you'll have to excuse me.
Wish you were here & we could have a good old yak.

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