Ukraine's demographic crisis deepens amid ongoing conflict
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported on Tuesday that Ukraine's population has fallen by over 10 million since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022.
"The Ukraine population has declined by over 10 million," stated UNFPA Regional Director Florence Bauer at a press conference in Geneva.
She added that this is due to a "combination of factors" and emphasised that even before the escalation of hostilities, Ukraine was already facing a "serious demographic challenge."
"The birth rate fell to just around one child per woman, and that’s one of the lowest in the world," Bauer reminded us.
She noted that this is not an uncommon phenomenon in Eastern Europe, where many countries exhibit a similar trend. "But with the full-scale invasion of Russia starting in 2022, the situation has gotten significantly worse," she stressed.
She emphasised that the fertility rate has dropped to approximately one child per woman, which is one of the lowest rates in the world and significantly deviates from the 2.1 children per woman level needed for simple generational replacement.
Additionally, 6.7 million people have left Ukraine, and many have died as a result of the conflict, she added.
