Europe, called the old continent, seems to have transferred that name to its population, given that the European population is aging. Result of the increase in life expectancy, which today is 77 years, combined with a low birth rate.
Natural or vegetative growth rates are in a declining stage. This fact had not occurred in history, except for catastrophes like the Black Death and wars. What can be seen in European countries are countries that have practically non-existent or even negative vegetative growth rates. The number of births in European countries has not exceeded the number of deaths.
Italy is a clear example of population aging, in the country the population over 60 years old exceeds the number of people under the age of 20 years. This is due, among other factors, to the high purchasing power, urbanization and the new posture of women in society, who have effectively inserted themselves in the labor market. The modern woman seeks professional qualification, so she spends more time studying, putting marriage and the formation of a family in the background.
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Currently, couples take time to have children and it almost always happens after the age of thirty, in some cases many decide not to have. Until recently, the countries of the world aspired to a fall in birth rates on a global level, but with the fall in birth rates and the population aging countries have been concerned, this due to the increase in the number of elderly people in relation to young people. In this way, the minority will have to support the majority, this will produce a great imbalance in the nations, because of the overload of the pension systems. Another worrying factor is the structural changes in services, such as healthcare, which is also overloaded, in addition to the high costs of treating chronic diseases.
By Eduardo de Freitas
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FREITAS, Eduardo de. "Europe's population is aging"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/a-populacao-europa-esta-envelhecendo.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
