An interactive map of Europe has been compiled with census data showing areas of the continent where the population is growing and declining. Birth rates go higher and lower, mortality rates change, immigration and emigration comes into effect and a myriad of factors contribute to the rise and fall of a population in different parts of the region.
Published by the Berliner Morgenpost, the interactive map uses colors to show the growth and decline of cities and provinces across Europe and allows the users to pinpoint precise locations to determine the percentage of population increase and decrease. The map allows users to specify search terms to find out which countries have the highest growth and which have the lowest; the cities with the most and least amount of population growth; and the birth rates of European cities.
The fastest growing cities in Europe are Livadia, Greece; Kvetnice, Czech Republic; Grange Park, United Kindom; and Paterno, Italy. The populations of these cities are growing at the highest rate each year compared to other European countries. The cities with the greatest population decline are Foca, Bosnia and Herzegovina; San Pancrazio Salentino, Italy; Presevo, Serbia; Sikyona, Greece; and Dropull i Poshtem, Albania.
The countries with the fastest growing populations are San Marino, Cyprus, Ireland, Andorra, Luxembourg, Gibraltar, Spain, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. The countries with populations that are declining quickest are Lithuania, Latvia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Monaco, Croatia, Hungary, and Germany.
Like with the cities that have the lowest and highest levels of population growth, there’s not a pattern for the countries that are experiencing the same population trends. While the majority of the countries with declining populations are in Eastern Europe, the countries with increasing populations are scattered across Europe. Even things like laws and political atmosphere could influence the number of people immigrating to a new country from elsewhere in the world, affecting population numbers.
Birthrate is also a major indicator of how populous a country is; although the average birth rate has gone down in many nations around the world, others have bucked the trend. The European countries with the highest birthrates are Turkey, Ireland, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Sweden Norway, Finland, Belgium and Denmark. These nations have higher than average standards of living and stable political climates which make having more children a possibility for many families.
The countries with lower birthrates include Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Serbia, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Latvia, Poland and Hungary. Birthrate can not only be influenced by political and economic factors but by education, culture, and fertility rates.
Interactive maps like the one created for tracking populations in Europe are integral for a complete understanding of worldwide trends, for populations and other pieces of valuable global information. Interactive maps can allow for greater interactions with information for students, researchers, and ordinary citizens looking to satisfy their curiosity about the world one map at a time.
Explore the map: Where the population of Europe is growing – and where it’s declining
