Albania sees 33,000 fewer youths and an 8% rise in over‑85 population

Official estimates for 1 January 2026 show Albania's total population fell by more than 27,000 people, a 1.2% decline in one year. The most pronounced drops are among younger cohorts: children aged 0‑4 decreased by 2.3% (about 2,477 fewer births), while the 25‑29 and 30‑34 age groups fell by 4.4% (≈5,955 people) and 4.7% (≈6,853 people) respectively. Overall, the 0‑34 age bracket lost roughly 33,000 persons – a reduction comparable to the size of the Kurbin municipality.

At the same time, the share of the elderly is rising sharply. People aged 70‑74 grew by 6%, those 75‑79 by 8.3%, and the over‑85 segment increased by 8.3%, adding 3,327 seniors in 2025. The combined effect of a shrinking working‑age population and a rapidly expanding senior cohort is expected to pressure labour markets, increase health‑care and social‑service costs, and push firms toward automation and foreign labour imports.