Bloomberg

No. 6 Latvia

2010 Population: 2,242,000
Forecast 2050 Population: 1,799,000
Percent Decrease: 19.8 percent
2010 Population over age 65: 17 percent
Fertility Rate: 1.3
Net Migration Rate: -2

Latvia entered a severe recession starting in 2008 and the country's GDP plunged by nearly 18 percent last year, forcing many to seek work abroad. Eurostat figures show that Latvia's March unemployment rate of 20 percent was the highest in the European Union. While the government acknowledges the importance of family support, the fertility rate remains one of the world's lowest. Latvia's population is aging quickly and its mortality rate exceeds the birth rate.

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