Negative population growth in Germany

Germany now has a population of 82 million, which will drop to 70 million by 2050. In other words, in the second half of the 20th century, Germany increased its population by an average of 200,000 per year; In the first half of the 20th century, Germany will reduce its population by more than 200,000 per year on average. This is the forecast calculation result published by the German Federal Statistical Office.

The aging rate in Germany is also accelerating. According to the forecast, the ratio of retirees to employed people in 2000 is 40:100; By 2050, this ratio will become 75: 100, which will bring great pressure to society and families.

The main reasons for such great changes in population structure are the decline in fertility rate and the increase in life expectancy.

At the same time, Germany is facing another social problem: at the same time of negative population growth, families with many foreign children are expanding. According to statistics, there are currently more than 7.3 million foreigners living in Germany, accounting for about 9%. Take 2 1 10000 Turks in Germany as an example. Their traditional concept still advocates "more children and more happiness", and some families have as many as seven or eight children. Because Germany encourages more children, each child can receive a monthly subsidy of 275 marks, so many children have become the main source of living expenses for some foreigners. In this regard, many German taxpayers are indignant and dissatisfied with the government's policies. (Jian Zheng)

(Youth Reference 2000-07-27)