The Greek islands of the Aegean Sea are facing a serious demographic problem, Euronews reports.
At the 15th Small Islands Congress in Milos, mayors expressed concern about the population outflow and the critically low birth rate. The situation is particularly dire on the smaller islands. For example, Agios Efstratios has a population of only 250 people, and there are practically no young people.
“There are practically no girls on the island”, - says Mayor Kostas Sinanis. “Only two female residents are under 30. The same goes for young men. We need to find incentives that will bring young people back to the island where they were born and raised to start their own families. Unfortunately, last year we had only one child, the second birth in three years”.
In 2022, Greece recorded its lowest number of births in 92 years. The forecasts are bleak: by 2050, the country's population could fall by 2,5 million people, and a third of the population will be over 65.
The Greek government plans to invest 20 billion euros by 2035 in programs to stimulate fertility, including cash benefits and tax breaks. However, experts say the problem requires a comprehensive approach and immediate action.
Greece's fertility rate is just 1,3 - one of the lowest in Europe. Economic forecasts predict that by 2100 the economically active population could fall by half and economic output by a third.
