A specter is haunting Europe—the specter of aging.Many Western countries are facing what the World Bank calls a “profound demographic crisis”: The twin perils of an aging population and record-low fertility rates are predicted to send their populations plunging in the coming decades. The worst consequences of this demographic shift, per the World Bank, are economic. Soon, the shrinking working population in the U.S., Canada, or Germany won’t be able to meet their own constant demands for high-quality goods ...

Demographic Trends - Japan's fertility rate is 1.20 in 2024 [1] - Births in Japan hit a record low of 727,000 in 2024 [1] - Japan's birth rate has collapsed from 25 births per 1,000 in the 1950s to 6.8 currently [1] Future Outlook - The report suggests Japan faces potential disappearance without drastic change due to low birth rates [1]

🚨 South Korea’s demographic crisis persists despite a tiny rebound: 242,334 babies born in 2024 – up 3.1% from 2023 but the lowest since 1950 and the 9th year under 300K.Fertility rate edged to a world-record low of 0.75 children per woman, far below the 2.1 replacement level.With ~119K more deaths (360K total) than births, the population shrank again. ...

This small town in South Korea has saved itself from extinction through the power of baseball. Sangdong was one of hundreds of small towns on the brink of disappearing due to the country's deepening demographic crisis. It had lost 97% of its population in 50 years, but now it is thriving again, thanks to an ambitious plan to build an elite high school baseball program from scratch.Korea loves baseball, so the program entices students from other parts of the country to move to Sangdong for free baseball trai ...

The death of GreeceVisegrád 24 (@visegrad24):🇬🇷 More than 700 schools have been closed in Greece due to a prolonged demographic crisisGreece has one of the lowest fertility rates in the European Union - around 1.3 births per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1.The population is rapidly aging, while young https://t.co/WvS0RIbwWQ ...