In aging Europe, Albania remains fourth youngest
Story Highlights
- Even though in a continent where median ages are now firmly in middle age, Albania itself is aging rapidly as young people are leaving the country at a disproportionate rate.
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TIRANA, Oct. 14, 2022 - Even as Albania rapidly ages due to continued emigration and low birth rates, it remains one of Europe’s youngest countries, the latest Eurostat data show.
European statisticians have calculated Albania’s median age to be at 37.6 in 2021, up sharply from the 35.2 of 2020.
Still, the EU as a whole is older, with a median age of 44.1.
The people of Albania are the continent’s fourth youngest, with Kosovo being first, 30.5 in 2020, Turqisë second at 32.8 and Iceland, at 36.7. Interestingly, none of the continent’s four youngest countries are EU members.
Young population is not a Western Balkan feature, however. Serbia is aging at 44, while Montenegro and North Macedonia are hovering at around 40.
Europe’s oldest countries by media age are Italy (47.6), Germany (45.9), Portugal (45.8), Greece (45.5), Bulgaria (45) and Spain (44.7).
Even though in a continent where median ages are now firmly in middle age, Albania itself is aging rapidly compared to where it was just a decade earlier.
The median age of women has reached 39.1 years and of men 37.3. Women live longer, on average 5 years, so their median age is also higher everywhere.
In 2021, both genders saw their median age go up by a year, while in the last 10 years it increased by 4.6 years for women and 5.5 years for men.
The median age for the total population reached 38.2 years as of January 2022, compared to 37.6 in 2021. During the past decade, the country's median age went up by 5 years.
