Ukraine Population…depopulating?
Thursday, February 12th, 2009The decline in Ukraine’s population reflects a general trend in many countries. Fertility rates and average family size are declining in populations that have become increasingly urbanized. Suffice to say that those countries that have an intact traditional culture or have not modernized or become affluent, still have positive population growth.
Religion is another factor. Modern societies have become more secular, with the exception of Islamic countries or nations with large Muslim populations.
Other factors affecting population decline are education and life expectancy. Although life expectancy may have increased in post-Soviet Ukraine, it has decreased in Russia.The quality of health care for the average Russian citizen has gone down, while per capita alcohol and tobacco consumption has gone up…along with HIV rates, and fatal traffic accidents.
Finally, there is the “brain drain” of educated people moving to more developed countries, as well as those leaving to seek business and work opportunities elsewhere.
One caveat however; the current financial crisis is causing those in developed countries to seek opportunities in emerging markets. Also, there are many mature economies-the United Kingdom for example-where many recent immigrants are repatriating to their homelands as work dries up in the U.K.
Countries that reform their economies to welcome investment, immigration and repatriation could see a huge benefit from population shifts. We can only hope that Ukraine can take advantage of this.
From www.unian.net
Ukraine to lose 15 million people in 2009-2050
Population will decline by 15 million people in Ukraine in 2009-2050. The UNO Secretary General made a new report on the world demographic trends. It will be discussed at the 42nd session of the Committee on Population and development on March, 30 – April, 3 2009, UN News Center reported, according to MIG news.
“Developed countries will face the challenge of reduction in population. It will happen in 45 states in 2009-2050. In particular, in the Russian Federation population will decline by 33 mn, in Japan – by 25 mn, in Ukraine – by 15 mn, in Germany – by 8,4 mn and in Poland – by 7,7 mn”, is reported.
At the same time, population will grow old within the nearest decades. A number of urban residents will increase. A number of people at the age of 60 and upwards will nearly treble and amount to 2 bn by 2050. 70 percents of people will live in cities by 2050.
According to the report, population will reach to 6,8 bn in July 2009. According to average forecast, it will come to 7 bn in 2012, 8 bn in 2025 and 9 bn in 2045.
Life interval has been increasing further in the majority of regions. People live 67,2 years on the average now. The average age of live is 76,5 years in industrial nations and 65,4 years in developing countries. The average index of life interval comes to 54,6 years in the least developed countries, UNIAN reports.
