Boom in Germany's Population: Majority Credits Immigration
Multiple Residents in Germany Reach Unprecedented Numbers
Germany's population hits a record high of 83.6 million, thanks to an influx of immigrants! The population growth of 0.1% last year may seem insignificant, but it's a significant step considering the falling birth rates in the country.
Hold onto your dirndls, folks! According to the German Federal Statistical Office, the population boost is all thanks to our international friends. The migration balance, which is simply the difference between the number of people who've moved in and those who've moved out, hit a healthy 420,000 in 2004. This means more peeps hopped on the Autobahn into Germany than those hopping off.
Migration East vs. West - Bavaria Gets the Win
While the entire Germany partied up the population, the western federal states shone the brightest, with a 0.2% population increase. On the other hand, the eastern federal states, excluding Berlin, faced a slight dip of 0.3%. Bavaria was the big winner with an impressive 73,000 new residents last year! Hamburg and Berlin, the city-states, weren't far behind with a 0.6% increase.
It's not all rosy, though. Places like Thuringia lost a significant 15,000 residents, followed by Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, shedding 12,000 and 9,000 residents, respectively.
Age Matters: More Seniors... But It's the Boomers!
The population shift varies with age, and the 2004 census shows more seniors in Germany today – yay for us! The number of folks between 60 and 79 years old grew by 2.2%. Interestingly, this can be attributed to the baby boomers of 1964 moving into the 60-79 age group.
The growing number of oldies but goldies means that 30.5% of Germany's population is already 60 or older. But guess what? The oldest of the youngsters continued to decline by 1.4%.
Foreigners are Everywhere!
The number of foreigners living in Deutschland increased by 2.3% to 12.4 million. As a result, the percentage of foreigners in Germany increased from 14.5% to 14.8%. The age group between 20 and 59 years old boasts the highest foreigner percentage, at a whopping 19.7%, while the 60 and above age group steps up with a more modest 6.3%.
So, who are our new neighbors? Turks are still tops, followed closely by Ukrainians, Syrians, Romanians, and the Poles. The changing demographics of Germany sure make for an exciting melting pot!
Are you ready to join the census? Let's keep the German population laughing, dancing, and growing!
[Sources: ntv.de, mbr/dpa][Related Enrichment: Impact of EU Enlargement on Migration Flows in 2004]
Community policies should consider the integration of the increasing number of immigrants, as they have played a significant role in Germany's recent population growth.
The employment policy needs to address the employment needs of the growing foreign population in Germany, given that their numbers have grown by 2.3%, reaching 12.4 million and making up 14.8% of the country's population.
