Health & Education · Berlin
Germany's population shrinks by 110,000 in 2025, first annual decline since pandemic year 2020
Germany's population fell by roughly 110,000 people in 2025 to 83.5 million, the first calendar-year reduction since 2020, as a sharp drop in net migration combined with a record birth deficit.
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In brief
Germany had 83.5 million residents at end‑2025, 0.1% less than a year earlier, the first annual decline since 2020.
Deaths outnumbered births by 352,000 in 2025, up from 331,000 in 2024, the widest gap on record.
Net inward migration fell from 430,000 in 2024 to 235,000 in 2025, no longer enough to offset the birth deficit.
Population fell 0.5% in eastern Länder vs 0.1% in the west; Thuringia lost 1.0% while Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen grew.
The 20‑59 age group dropped by 409,000 people (1.0%), while over‑60s rose to 31% of the total population.
Population shrinks after years of growth
Germany's resident population totalled 83.5 million at the end of 2025, down 110,000 (0.1%) from a year earlier, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday. The drop breaks a run of almost uninterrupted growth since 2011, interrupted only in 2020 when pandemic travel restrictions caused a temporary migration dip. In 2024 the population had still edged up by 0.1%.
Birth deficit and declining migration drive the decline
The number of deaths exceeded births by 352,000 in 2025, wider than the 331,000 gap recorded in 2024. At the same time, net migration fell from a surplus of 430,000 in 2024 to 235,000 in 2025. The combination meant immigration could no longer offset the natural population deficit.
“Im Jahr 2025 sank die Bevölkerungszahl nun erstmals seit 2020 wieder.”
- Natural balance 2024
- -331 thousands
- Net migration 2024
- 430 thousands
- Natural balance 2025
- -352 thousands
- Net migration 2025
- 235 thousands
Data from the article text
Eastern states hit hardest, cities still grow
The overall figure masks sharp regional differences. The population decline was proportionally larger in the former East German states, where it fell by 0.5% (57,000 people), compared to 0.1% (68,000 people) in the western Länder. Among all federal states, only the three city-states recorded growth: Berlin and Hamburg each gained 0.4%, and Bremen added 0.3%. Thuringia shrank the most (minus 1.0%), followed by Saxony-Anhalt (minus 0.7%) and Saarland (minus 0.5%).
- Thuringia
- -1 %
- Saxony-Anhalt
- -0.7 %
- Saarland
- -0.5 %
- Saxony
- -0.4 %
- Berlin
- 0.4 %
- Hamburg
- 0.4 %
- Bremen
- 0.3 %
Data from the article text
Ageing accelerates as baby boomers turn 60
The only age bracket that grew was the 60-79 group, which swelled by 358,000 people (2.8%), as the large baby-boomer generation moved into that range. The over-80 cohort, made up of the low-birth-rate cohorts around the end of World War II, shrank by 151,000 (2.5%). The core working-age population (20-59) fell by 409,000 (1.0%), while the under-20s decreased by 88,000 (0.6%). Overall, the share of people aged 60 and older rose by 0.5 percentage points to 31%.
The ageing profile differs starkly between Germans and the foreign population. Destatis noted that only 13.4% of the foreign population was over 60, compared with 34.1% among Germans.
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Sources and context
- Friedrich Merz
- Chancellor of Germany who campaigned on a tougher migration line in 2025
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