2014 child census: where are the children?

The European Union had 10 million fewer children (aged less than 15 years old) in 2014 than 20 years ago in 1994. In the EU in 1994 there were 18.6% of children of the total population and in 2014 there were 15.6%. The number of children decreased in every European country except Denmark. Ireland had the most children and Germany had the least.

The largest reduction in children occurred in Cyprus (8.9% reduction of the total population of children in the EU), followed by Poland (8.7% reduction), Slovakia (8.2% reduction), and Malta (8.0% reduction).

The largest percentages of children in 2014 were in Ireland (22% of total EU population of children under 15 years), France (18.6%), the United Kingdom (17.6%), Denmark (17.2%), Sweden (17.1%), and Belgium (17.0%).

In 2014 the lowest percentages of children were in Germany (13.1%), Bulgaria (13.7%), and Italy (13.9%).

By 2050 the percentage of children is expected to continue its decline to an estimated 15% of the total EU population. The forecast is for decreases in Slovakia, Portugal, Ireland and Spain, while Lithuania and Latvia are expected to increase, say EU child census demographers.

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