Over the past 25 years, global demographic dynamics have diverged sharply. While some national populations have more than tripled, others have seen significant contractions that impact both economic and social stability. Ukraine is among the countries with the most pronounced decline, with its population decreasing by approximately one-third. This is reported by Dengi.ua, citing an infographic from Visualcapitalist.com.
The highest growth rates were recorded in the Persian Gulf states. However, this growth is attributed less to natural birth rates and more to massive migration flows and the region's economic attractiveness. Qatar emerged as the absolute leader, with its population surging by 423% - from approximately 594,000 to 3.1 million. The UAE followed with 250% growth, alongside significant increases in Bahrain (+154%), Kuwait (+139%), and Oman (+129%).
Beyond the Middle East, rapid demographic expansion is concentrated primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. Leaders in this region include Equatorial Guinea (+167%), Niger (+157%), and Papua New Guinea (+150%). A more than twofold increase was also recorded in Angola (+140%), Chad (+127%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (+122%), Burundi (+124%), Uganda (+120%), and Zambia (+120%). High fertility rates and steady improvements in regional healthcare systems are cited as the primary drivers of this growth.
Conversely, a significant portion of Eastern Europe is facing a steady demographic decline. Since the early 2000s, Bulgaria has lost approximately 23% of its population, Latvia 22%, Moldova 19%, and Lithuania 18%.
Against this backdrop, Ukraine shows the sharpest contraction, with its population falling by roughly 33% - from 48.7 million in 2000 to an estimated 32.9 million in 2025. In addition to long-term economic factors, the war with Russia has significantly accelerated this trend.
Top 10 Countries by Population Decline (2000–2025):
- Ukraine - 32.5%
- Marshall Islands - 29.4%
- Bulgaria - 23.2%
- Latvia - 21.6%
- Moldova - 18.8%
- Lithuania - 17.5%
- Puerto Rico - 16.7%
- Romania - 16.1%
- Serbia - 13.1%
- Albania - 12.8%