Albania Faces Steep Decline in Youth Population, UN Report Shows

United Nations data place Albania among the world’s four countries with the sharpest drop in its 15‑24‑year‑old cohort. Projections indicate a loss of about 43 % of this age group between 2025 and 2050. The country’s youth count fell from roughly 544,000 in 2000 to 195,000 after two and a half decades – a 64 % reduction.

By 2050, young people are expected to make up just 11.3 % of Albania’s total population, down from 17.2 % in 2000. The UN ranks Albania third worldwide, after China and Ukraine, in terms of future youth shrinkage, surpassing even Japan and Italy. Officials warn that the demographic trend puts Albania in a “red zone” of nations whose future is jeopardized by the loss of a younger generation.