Slovakia faces demographic crisis as birth rates hit historic lows

Slovakia is experiencing a significant demographic shift characterized by a historic decline in births and a rapidly aging population. In 2025, annual births fell to just over 42,000, while the number of residents aged 65 and older reached approximately 1.03 million, accounting for 19% of the population.

Projections indicate that the elderly population could reach 30% by 2050, with the share potentially stabilizing between 33% and 38% in the coming decades. This trend is placing immense pressure on public finances, particularly regarding pension sustainability and healthcare. Annual pension spending is projected to reach 13.7 billion euros, and age-related spending could increase by 3.8% of GDP by 2060.

Experts note that the shrinking ratio of workers to retirees creates systemic complications for the social insurance system. Additionally, the demographic crisis is closely linked to an increasingly unaffordable housing market, which impacts the ability of younger generations to establish households.