Even though the number of people in Bucharest is actually higher because many of them live in the city but are not registered as such, Romania will massively depopulate over the next 30 years.
“We will have a natural decline because the birth rate is very low and we will have a decline because of migration abroad, as well as significant decline due to internal migration. Many people are leaving Bucharest for places around it, which is why Ilfov is doing so well and the population there will grow,” explains Professor Vasile Ghetau, head of the ‘Vladimir Trebici’ Center for Demographic Research of the Romanian Academy.
Romania will have 15.5 million people left by 2050, a decline of 20% from the 19.2 million of 2020.
“We had 297,000 deaths and 176,000 births last year, a natural population decline of 120,000 people, which is huge for a population of 19 million.”
Romania’s most powerful counties for business will see population decrease by 23% (Bucharest), 5% (Timis), 8% (Cluj), Arges (27%) over the next 30 years. The only one to actually see population growth is Ilfov, 42% in 2020-2050, according to demographic projections.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)