site.bta50,000 Romanians Leave Homeland in 2022, Demographics Decline Continues - Experts

A total of 50,000 Romanains left their homeland in 2022, the Adevarul daily reported, adding that the record number equals the population of an average city like Giurgiu, for example. According to the experts quoted by the newspaper, the demographic crisis continues, resulting from economic and social reasons.

Negative natural growth adds to the problem. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in April 2023 there were 2,853 fewer newborn children compared to the same month of 2022. Natural growth was negative in April 2023 (-8,902), as well as in April 2022 (-8,859).

Demographics expert Prof. Vasile Ghetau estimates that Romania has been depopulating for more than three decades and if the authorities do not do something, in 2050 the country will have only 15 million inhabitants with an ageing population. According to World Bank data for 2022, Romania's population numbered 18,956,666.

"With a low birth rate, mass migration and a large number of deaths, Romania has practically no chance of avoiding a demographic catastrophe scenario", the expert believes. He points out that the life expectancy for men is 72 years and for women 79 and that the country is at the bottom of the European ranking, next to Bulgaria. At the same time, Romania ranks first in the EU for the number of adult citizens residing in other European countries.

In 2011, the number of Romanians residing in another European Union country stood at 1.67 million and has continued to grow since then, reaching 2.5 million in 2019, according to Eurostat data.

"Having left, Romanians no longer want to return to the country", notes sociologist Alfred Bulai, a professor at the National School for Political and Administrative Studies. He says the birth rate is down, but the biggest loss results from emigration. 

"This means millions of Romanians who are theoretically in Romania, but after many years in the West it is hard to believe they will return. If one has built social relationships and has found an acceptable lifestyle, it's very hard to go back, especially if one came from a small town. The chances are even less when you are already married there and have children. Because the conditions in the West for raising children are clearly superior to those in Romania," says Bulai.