Germany has long struggled with an aging population that has seen its death rate surpass new births, but despite the negativity surrounding the million-plus refugees entering into the country since 2015, they are responsible for reversing the trend and have boosted the German population to a record-breaking 82.8 million people.
The Federal Statistics office in Germany reported an estimated population increase of 600,000 people in 2016, and that the new numbers surpass the previous record of 82.5 million seen in 2002.
Does this spell the end for Germany’s dying population? The likely answer is no. There is still a life imbalance as the number of deaths still surpassed births by 150,000 to 190,000. Throw that continued trend into the mix of a slowdown in refugee arrivals, and Germany will most likely see the new record stand as the one to break for several years.
