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Publication of Council of Europe demographic report for 2003
Strasbourg, 29.01.2004 - The Council of Europe has just published its yearly demographic report covering all 45 member states and one European non-member country (Belarus) for the period between 1 January 2002 and 1 January 2003.
The report provides updated comparative data on population figures, fertility, mortality, migration, marriage and divorce rates. Country-specific data is provided in the accompanying CD-Rom.
According to the yearbook, at the beginning of 2003 Europe’s population was about 814 million, of whom 803.5 million were in Council of Europe member states (an increase of just 0.08% over 2002). The European population’s share of the world population is declining due to low fertility levels, and this decline is expected to continue in the years to come.
In all European countries, except Turkey, the total fertility rate is currently below replacement level. In some European countries, particularly in eastern Europe, low fertility brought zero population growth, while in many west European countries negative population growth caused by an excess of deaths over births is only offset by immigration.
The yearbook data shows a widespread decline in the number of marriages and the appearance of other forms of union, particularly cohabitation. In certain countries, such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Estonia, births outside marriage represent more than 50% of the total.
Infant mortality is declining in all European countries, it is around 5 per thousand in western Europe, but still high in countries such as Romania, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus and the Caucasus region, which have rates of between 10 and 20 per thousand.
Iceland enjoys the highest life expectancy at birth among men (78 years), followed by San Marino, Switzerland and Sweden, while the Russian Federation (59 years), Belarus (62.3) and Ukraine (62.4) have the lowest European figures.
San Marino has the highest female life expectancy at birth in Europe (84.2), followed by Switzerland (83), France and Italy (82.9 each). The lowest figures are recorded in Turkey (70.9), Moldova and the Russian Federation (71.9 each).
All of Europe is affected by ageing, though at differing rates from one country to another. The highest proportions of elderly persons in 2002 were in Italy (18.2%), Germany (17.5%) and Greece (17.3%). In the vast majority of European countries the figures were between 12 and 17%.
Additional information on the report and on the Council of Europe’s activities on population is available at http://www.coe.int/population
A Press conference will be held on Thursday 29 January at 14.30 (Palais de l’Europe, Room 1) with the participation of two members of the ad hoc Committee on population : Aidan Punch (Ireland) and Charlotte Höhn (Germany).
