Over the last three decades, Europe's population landscape has dramatically shifted, with some countries experiencing significant growth while others are shrinking rapidly. Western European nations like Türkiye and Ireland have seen their populations soar, partly due to immigration, while many Eastern European and Balkan countries, including Russia and Ukraine, are losing people at alarming rates due to emigration and economic challenges. This stark contrast paints a vivid picture of a continent divided by population trends, where some nations thrive and others struggle to maintain their numbers.

Between 1990 and 2023, the world's population grew by more than 50%. But not every country saw this growth. Some places grew rapidly, while others saw their populations shrink.

Europe’s Population Changes

In Europe, there’s a big difference between the growth rates of Western and Eastern countries. Visual Capitalist’s Pallavi Rao has created a map showing these changes, using col...